MMP2 and acrosin are major proteinases associated with the inner acrosomal membrane and may cooperate in sperm penetration of the zona pellucida during fertilization

Sperm-zona pellucida (ZP) penetration during fertilization is a process that most likely involves enzymatic digestion of this extracellular coat by spermatozoa. Since the inner acrosomal membrane (IAM) is the leading edge of spermatozoa during penetration and proteins required for secondary binding of sperm to the zona are present on it, the IAM is the likely location of these enzymes. The objectives of this study were to identify and characterize proteinases present on the IAM, confirm their localization and provide evidence for their role in fertilization. Gelatin zymography of detergent extracts of the IAM revealed bands of enzymatic activity identified as serine and matrix metallo-proteinases (MMPs). Specific inhibitors to MMPs revealed that MMP activity was due to MMP2. Immunoblotting determined that the serine protease activity on the zymogram was due to acrosin and also confirmed the MMP2 activity. Immunogold labeling of spermatozoa at the electron microscope level showed that acrosin and MMP2 were confined to the apical and principal segments of the acrosome in association with the IAM, confirming our IAM isolation technique. Immunohistochemical examination of acrosin and MMP2 during spermiogenesis showed that both proteins originate in the acrosomic granule during the Golgi phase and later redistribute to the acrosomal membrane. Anti-MMP2 antibodies and inhibitors incorporated into in vitro fertilization media significantly decreased fertilization rates. This is the first study to demonstrate that MMP2 and acrosin are associated with the IAM and introduces the possibility of their cooperation in enzymatic digestion of the ZP during penetration.

Immunolocalization of proacrosin/acrosin in bovine sperm and sperm penetration through the zona pellucida

The aim of the present work was to immunolocalize acrosin in bull spermatozoa incubated for up to 6 h in capacitating culture medium (TALP-heparin), in order to study the kinetics of its release during the acrosome reaction and in vitro sperm penetration. Six replicates from semen of one bull were used. Acrosin was localized by the silver-enhanced immunogold technique using anti-bovine acrosin monoclonal antibody ACRO-C2E5. Spermatozoa thus showed the presence of acrosin only at the acrosomal region. Four different patterns were seen: (1) no labeling: (2) intense labeling on the rim of the portion of the acrosome; (3) diffuse label over the entire acrosomal region; and (4) intense label over the entire acrosomal region. Spermatozoa incubated in capacitating medium for 4 h showed that unlabeled (pattern 1) spermatozoa decreased from 72% to 28% difference that was found to be significant (p<0.05). Patterns 3 and 4 increased from about 10% to 20-29%, (p<0.05). With further incubation (4-6 h), pattern 1 increased while patterns 3 and 4 decreased differences were not significant (p0.05). The incidence of pattern 2 did not change through the whole incubation period. Sperm penetration through the zona pellucida of in vitro matured bovine oocytes (57%) or empty zonae pellucida (70.5%) increased (p<0.05) as a function of sperm incubation time in capacitating medium. The presence of acrosin, as determined by the silver-enhanced immunogold technique, was highly correlated with sperm penetration of in vitro mature bovine oocyte (r=0.98) and cryopreserved zonae pellucidae (r=0.93) (p<0.01).

Thapsigargin stimulates acrosomal exocytosis in hamster spermatozoa

Thapsigargin (TG), a plant-derived sesquiterpene lactone, inhibits several isoforms of both the sarcoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPases. Thus, intracellular Ca2+ stores found in the endoplasmic reticulum can be released by this compound. The mammalian sperm acrosome reaction (AR) depends on influx of extracellular Ca2+. However, few reports have presented evidence for the involvement of putative Ca2+ stores and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in the AR. Thus, we designed experiments to evaluate the effect of TG on the hamster sperm AR. Thapsigargin stimulated-in a dose-dependent manner-the AR of spermatozoa previously capacitated for at least 3 hr, not affecting sperm motility. A maximal stimulatory effect was apparent 3 min after addition of TG to spermatozoa previously capacitated for 4 hr and was dependent on external Ca2+ since ethyleneglycol-bis-(b-amino-ethyl ether) N,N'-tetra-acetic acid added 1 min before TG completely inhibited AR stimulation. The Ca2+ channel blockers diltiazem and nifedipine also abolished the TG-stimulatory effect when added to capacitated spermatozoa 10 min before the inhibitor. In addition, the trypsin inhibitors p-nitrophenyl-p'-guanidine-benzoate hydrochloride and benzamidine added to the sperm suspensions 10 min before TG inhibited by 70-80% the TG-induced AR. These results indicate that putative Ca2+ stores release may be involved in stimulation of extracellular Ca2+ influx required for the occurrence of the AR. In addition, a sperm trypsin-like protease may be part of the mechanism by which TG induces the hamster sperm AR.

Studies related to progesterone-induced hamster sperm acrosome reaction

Experiments were designed to characterize the effect of progesterone on the hamster sperm acrosome reaction (AR). Progesterone stimulated exocytosis of previously capacitated spermatozoa in a dose-dependent manner. Progesterone-3-(O-carboxymethyl)oxime:BSA conjugate also induced AR when added to capacitated sperm suspensions. EGTA and La3+, added 10 min before progesterone, completely abolished the steroid-stimulatory effect. Benzamidine, a trypsin inhibitor, also inhibited AR when added to sperm cells 10 min before progesterone. This effect was avoided when spermatozoa were treated with the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin. Conversely, the H+ ionophore FCCP, or the Na+/K+ ionophore nigericin, did not prevent the effect of the inhibitor. Results suggest that progesterone acts on the hamster sperm plasma membrane to stimulate exocytosis, which requires external Ca2+ and presumably Ca2+ influx. In addition, a sperm trypsin-like protease may be part of the mechanism by which progesterone stimulates AR. Since the ionomycin-induced AR does not require this proteolytic activity, the possible involvement of such an enzyme in the progesterone-stimulated Ca2+ influx necessary for the occurrence of AR is discussed.

Actin, alpha-actinin, and spectrin with specific associations with the postacrosomal and acrosomal domains of bovine spermatozoa

BACKGROUND

Characteristic membrane changes in spermatozoa culminating in acrosome reaction and sperm-egg fusion, and suspected involvement of actin-containing cytoskeleton in membrane changes in general, prompted us to investigate subcellular distribution of actin and actin-binding proteins in bovine spermatozoa subjected to various extractions which sequentially denude the sperm investments.

METHODS

Spermatozoa were treated with either 1% SDS, 0.1% Triton X-100, 0.1% Hyamine, or 1 M MgCl2 or were sonicated. Immunostaining of actin, alpha-actinin, spectrin, and acrosin as well as electron microscopic analysis of extracted spermatozoa were carried out.

RESULTS

Extractions caused evagination of the acrosomal lamina which retained focal contacts with the inner acrosomal membrane. Extractions further revealed lateral prongs at the anterior border of the postacrosomal sheath. Labeling for alpha-actinin and spectrin was localized in the acrosin-positive acrosomal lamina, neck, and principal piece, the latter containing also relatively extraction-resistant oligomeric or polymerized actin. In the postacrosomal area, actin was accumulated in the extraction-resistant posterior ring structure and anteriorly at the sites apparently related to the lateral prongs. Notably, spectrin reactivity was enhanced by MgCl2 in head, neck, and principal piece, and sonication abolished cytoskeletal immuno-reactivity in the head.

CONCLUSIONS

Destabilization of membranes with selected extractions induces changes in the acrosomal lamina mimicking acrosomal vesicle formation. The lateral prongs and posterior ring structure, respectively, may serve as anterior and posterior anchors for the extraction-resistant post-acrosomal sheath. The lateral prongs may also be a merger zone for actin, alpha-actinin, and spectrin with important implication on sperm function. The latter two proteins may be involved in acrosomal vesicle formation. It is apparent that extractions have a significant effect on the detectability of sperm cytoskeletal elements.

Presence of a trypsin-like protease in starfish sperm acrosome

Marthasterias glacialis sperm cells were treated with ionophore A23187, centrifuged, and the supernatants were assayed for esterase activity. With N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester-HCl (BAEE) as substrate, a net activity was determined which was not detectable when N-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester (ATEE) was used. The BAEE trypsin-like activity was inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI), N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone-HCl (TLCK), and phenyl methyl sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), but not by L-1-tosylamido-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone (TPCK). The presence of proteolytic activity in acrosomal exudates was further demonstrated by gelatin-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic zymography (gelatin-SDS-PAGE). The presence of several bands of low proteolytic activity and of one band of high proteolytic activity, which also has the lower molecular weight, together with the fact that all are inhibited by benzamidine, suggests the existence of a trypsin-like proteinase system. The effect of the acrosomal exudate on the oocyte jelly coat was investigated by SDS-PAGE analysis. All jelly proteins appeared to be digested by the acrosomal enzymes. Furthermore, if SBTI is added shortly after insemination, the sperm fail to fertilize the oocytes. These results indicate that the starfish sperm acrosomal vesicle contains a trypsin-like protease which may be involved in sperm penetration through the oocyte jelly coat.

Trypsin inhibitors prevent the progesterone-initiated increase in intracellular calcium required for the human sperm acrosome reaction

Inhibitors of trypsin-like enzymes, benzamidine hydrochloride and 4'-acetamidophenyl 4-guanidinobenzoate (also an inhibitor of other serine proteases), were tested for their effects on the acrosome reaction (AR) of human sperm initiated by progesterone or the calcium ionophore ionomycin. The AR was assayed by indirect immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. The trypsin inhibitors, when added 10 min prior to stimulation by progesterone, significantly inhibited the AR in comparison with progesterone treatment alone. Transmission electron microscopic examination of the sperm after progesterone treatment indicated that the inhibitors blocked the membrane fusion events of the AR. By contrast, when ionomycin (at final concentrations of 3 microM) was added to sperm preincubated in inhibitors, sperm underwent morphologically normal AR, acrosomal matrix loss was not inhibited, and the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm was the same as that obtained in the absence of inhibitors. Using the cell calcium indicator fura-2, we further demonstrated that both trypsin inhibitors prevented the progesterone-stimulated rise in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]int) required for the AR, but did not affect [Ca2+]int in unstimulated sperm. These results suggest that sperm trypsin-like activity may be directly or indirectly involved in increasing sperm [Ca2+]int during stimulation by progesterone.

Proacrosin activation and acrosin release during the guinea pig acrosome reaction

The kinetics of proacrosin activation and release from guinea pig spermatozoa during the nonsynchronous acrosome reaction were studied. Epididymal spermatozoa were incubated at 37 degrees C in a defined medium (pH 7.8) containing 1.7 mM Ca2+. After 195 min, 78% of the motile spermatozoa had undergone the acrosome reaction as determined by light microscopy. Acrosin and proacrosin levels in the spermatozoa and medium were measured at the beginning of the incubation period. Most of the total acrosin activity (78%) was associated with the spermatozoa, of which greater than 90% was in the form of proacrosin. Proacrosin represented a small, stable fraction (23%) of the total acrosin in the medium; it did not activate to acrosin while in the medium. After 195 min, a decrease in sperm-associated total acrosin (42%; p less than 0.05) was accompanied by an increase in the total acrosin level in the medium (115%; P less than 0.05). No change in the relative proacrosin content (percent of total acrosin) was evident in either medium or spermatozoa. Additional experiments quantified acrosin and proacrosin during the progression of the acrosome reaction. Both the loss of sperm-associated total acrosin and the increase in total acrosin levels in the medium were highly correlated with the fraction of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa (r = 0.954 and 0.922, respectively; P less than 0.001). However, the rate of acrosin appearance in the medium was only 60% (P less than 0.001) of the rate of acrosin loss from the spermatozoa. The fractional proacrosin content of spermatozoa (94%) and medium (31%) remained unchanged during the acrosome reaction (r = 0.15 and 0.30, respectively; P greater than 0.1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Inhibition of the human sperm acrosome reaction by proteinase inhibitors

The analogue of the second messenger cAMP, dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP), was shown to induce the human sperm acrosome reaction to the same extent as calcium ionophore A23187, providing preliminary evidence for the involvement of the adenylate cyclase system in the acrosome reaction (AR) of human spermatozoa. Using the human synchronous acrosome reaction system, proteinase inhibitors were tested for their effect on the dbcAMP-induced human sperm acrosome reaction. The proteinase inhibitor 4'-acetamidophenyl 4-guanidinobenzoate (AGB), an inhibitor of proacrosin activation and of acrosin, when added at either the onset of incubation or to capacitated spermatozoa, 5 min prior to stimulation by dbcAMP, significantly (P less than 0.01) inhibited the acrosome reaction at final concentrations of 1 x 10(-4) M to 1 x 10(-6) M in comparison to dbcAMP treatment alone. At concentrations less than 1 x 10(-6) M, no significant inhibitory effect was seen. Similarly, para-aminobenzamidine (pAB), also an inhibitor of proacrosin activation and of acrosin, significantly (P less than 0.01) inhibited the dbcAMP-induced acrosome reaction at final concentrations of 1 x 10(-4) M to 1 x 10(-6) M when added at either the onset of incubation or to capacitated spermatozoa, 5 min prior to stimulation by dbcAMP, in comparison to stimulation by dbcAMP alone. However, at concentrations less than 1 x 10(-6) M, no significant (P greater than 0.05) inhibitory effect was seen. These results indicate that a serine proteinase, most likely acrosin, has a role in the human sperm acrosome reaction and suggest that the enzyme functions after the involvement of the adenylate cyclase system.

A simple, clinical assay to evaluate the acrosin activity of human spermatozoa

Acrosin, a sperm-specific acrosomal proteinase, has an essential role in the fertilization process. Low levels of acrosin appear to be associated with subfertility and infertility, and the acrosin activity of spermatozoa may potentially be a useful indicator of semen quality. The standard acrosin tests employed by research laboratories are too complicated and/or time consuming for clinical use; therefore, a simple assay has been developed to assess total acrosin activity (acrosin and activatable proacrosin). To perform the test, liquefied semen is centrifuged over Ficoll, the washed sperm pellet is suspended in a detergent (Triton X-100)-substrate (N-alpha-benzoyl-DL-arginine p-nitroanilide) buffer, pH. 8.0, and the amidase activity is determined spectrophotometrically after a 3-hour incubation period. Amidase activity can be inhibited with benzamidine, indicating that the activity is primarily or entirely due to acrosin. The absence of detergent in the incubation medium results in greatly reduced activity. The assay is repeatable, linear with increasing sperm concentration, sensitive to a lower limit of 2 x 10(6) spermatozoa, and the results correspond to those obtained with a standard acrosin extraction and assay technique. Storage of ejaculates at 3 to 6 C or at 22 to 24 C for 24 hours does not affect the acrosin activity significantly but much higher temperatures can cause a loss of activity. Freezing ejaculates results in a large decrease in sperm acrosin activity. Leukocytes show minimal activity in the assay. Sperm populations prepared by a swim-up procedure average approximately a 2-fold higher acrosin activity than the original ejaculates. Preliminary experiments indicate that the average sperm acrosin activity of ejaculates whose spermatozoa successfully fertilize human eggs in vitro is significantly higher than those that do not fertilize eggs.

Subcellular immunochemical localization of acrosin in human spermatozoa during the acrosome reaction and zona pellucida penetration

The changes in acrosin immunoreactivity in human spermatozoa undergoing spontaneous or chemically induced acrosome reactions were studied by electron microscopic immunocytochemistry with an acrosin-specific monoclonal antibody. Migration of limited amounts of acrosin to the sperm surface was the earliest event characterizing the beginning of the acrosome reaction. The acrosome of such spermatozoa remained morphologically intact, swelled, or showed intraacrosomal vesiculation without any disruption of the plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity. Massive release of acrosin coincided with the fusion of the plasma and outer acrosomal membranes. However, even fully acrosome-reacted spermatozoa always retained some acrosin on the exposed inner acrosomal membrane and in the equatorial segment of the acrosome. This residual acrosin was also detected on spermatozoa within the zona pellucida of human oocytes inseminated in vitro, while the previously released bulk of acrosin remained attached to the surface of the zona pellucida at the site of sperm entry. These findings are compatible with multiple functions of acrosin in human sperm-egg interaction, including sperm-zona pellucida binding, dispersal of acrosomal contents, and facilitation of zona pellucida penetration.

Monoclonal antibody labelling of human spermatozoa: an electron microscope study

The antigenic determinants recognized by six anti-human sperm monoclonal antibodies were localized at the subcellular level using an indirect peroxidase immunoelectron microscopic method. Labelling was performed using fresh spermatozoa, and after cell permeabilization (by osmotic shock or freeze-thawing) or detergent demembranation. Two antibodies bound to distinct regions of the plasma membrane, one over the acrosome and the other on the tail, but both also bound to intracellular sites on damaged cells. The internal organelles labelled by the other four antibodies were identified as the acrosomal membrane of the equatorial segment, structures in the connective piece, mitochondrial membranes and axonemal microtubules, respectively. These results are compared with those of a previous immunofluorescence study (Villarroya & Scholler, 1986) and the advantages of joint light and electron microscopy for sperm immunocytochemistry are discussed.

Ultrastructural localization of labeled acrosomal glycoproteins during in vivo fertilization in the rabbit

Rabbit spermatozoa were labeled predominantly in their acrosomal glycoproteins by 1-3H-glucosamine during spermiogenesis. Ova fertilized in vivo by spermatozoa labeled 22 days earlier were analyzed by fine-structure autoradiography for the localization of the label. The latter was found associated with 1) the fused membranes of the acrosomal cap remaining on the zona pellucida surface, 2) the material released on the zona surface after the acrosome reaction and possibly detectable after tannic acid fixation, 3) the equatorial segment of the sperm head and the preequatorial swellings, and 4) other sperm components, eg, the sperm tail. No labeling, on the other hand, was detected on the denuded leading edge of spermatozoa found either in the penetration slit or in the perivitelline space. Our observations suggest the involvement of acrosomal glycoproteins in different mechanisms of sperm/zona pellucida interaction but are not in favor of a major role of (enzymatic) glycoproteins bound to the inner acrosomal membrane during the penetration of the zona pellucida.

The fate of acrosomal staining during the acrosome reaction of human spermatozoa as revealed by a monoclonal antibody and PNA-lectin

A monoclonal anti-human sperm antibody, raised against an acrosomal antigen and indicated to recognize in boar sperm the serine protease, acrosin, stained in human spermatozoa a 50 Kd antigen and several others in the region 24-34 Kd by immunoblotting. The 50 Kd band and the region of 30-34 Kd showed proteolytic activity by zymographic enzyme detection. The fate of the antigen was studied in the acrosome reaction induced by the calcium ionophore A23187. In control incubations 69.5 +/- 14.2% (mean +/- SD) of the spermatozoa had intact acrosomal staining according to indirect immunofluorescence using this antibody whereas in acrosome-reacted samples only 21.0 +/- 2.0% of the sperm were stained. Another marker for the acrosome, peanut agglutinin-lectin (PNA), was used to detect the acrosome with similar results. Acrosome reactions were verified by electron microscopy. The present results indicate that the corresponding antigen, evidently acrosin, and PNA-positive material are liberated during the acrosome reaction which suggests that they are not bound to the inner acrosomal membrane but are components of the acrosomal matrix.

The action of acrosin on the zona pellucida

The presence of hydrolytic enzymes in and associated with the sperm head has long argued for their functioning in fertilization. Several observations led investigators to propose that the acrosomal trypsin-like enzyme, acrosin in mammals, functioned in fertilization in aiding the sperm to penetrate the zona pellucida. While many have raised significant objections to this role, the action of acrosin on its presumed physiological substrate has not been characterized in a biochemical fashion. The intent of this study was to examine the effect of sperm proteases on the innermost egg envelopes in a parallel study, with the pig, Sous scrofa and the South African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. With the pig, a great deal of information exists concerning the boar enzyme, acrosin, but little is known about the chemical structure of the zona pellucida. The opposite situation exists in X. laevis where the vitelline envelope is well characterized chemically, but little is known about the putative sperm lysins.

Sperm surface changes during the acrosome reaction as observed by freeze-fracture

The mammalian acrosome reaction is an exocytotic process that can be analyzed by the technique of freeze-fracture; only sperm cells capacitated in vitro or treated to elicit the acrosome reaction in vitro have been studied, and all pictures published are from material fixed before freezing. All the authors point out the appearance of particle-free areas in the plasma membrane of the acrosomal region during capacitation and before any fusion. This is interpreted as an increase in membrane fluidity as suggested by studies on membrane lipid composition in guinea-pig sperm. We have recently described the induced acrosome reaction in ram spermatozoa. Fusion starts at the limit of the anterior and equatorial segments and progresses forward in the anterior segment along ramified paths, resulting in a fenestration gradient of the acrosomal cap. Fusion propagation may be controlled by fluidity increase in the plasma membrane of the anterior segment, and it is probably inhibited in the equatorial segment by the ordered structure of the acrosomal membrane.

Limited and specific proteolysis of the zona pellucida by acrosin

The proteolytic action of boar sperm acrosin on its natural substrate, the zona pellucida, was investigated. Acrosin exhibited substrate specificity for the zona pellucida and differentially hydrolyzed the glycoprotein families composing the zona pellucida. In contrast to acrosin, trypsin was a less-specific protease in terms of zona pellucida hydrolysis.