Regulation of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria of epididymal bull spermatozoa

Evidence for a functional glycogen metabolism in mature mammalian spermatozoa

The glycogen content in fresh raw dog spermatozoa was 0.22+/-0.03 micromol/mg protein. This matched with the presence of a glycogen-like staining in the head and midpiece. Glycogen levels lowered to 0.05 micromol/mg protein after incubation for 60 min without sugars. Addition of either 10 mM fructose or 10 mM glucose increased glycogen content to 0.70 micromol/mg protein. On the other hand, glycogen synthase activity ratio of fresh dog sperm (0.35+/-0.07, measured in the absence and the presence of glucose 6-P) increased to 0.55 with 10 mM fructose for 20 min, whereas glucose had a smaller effect. Spermatozoa extracts had also a protein of about 100 Kd, which reacted against a rat liver glycogen synthase antibody. This was located in sperm head and midpiece. Furthermore, glycogen phosphorylase activity ratio measured in presence and absence of AMP (0.25+/-0.03 in fresh samples) decreased to 0.15 by 10 mM glucose for 20 min, whereas fructose was less potent in this regard. The maximal effect of glucose and fructose were observed from 10-20 mM onwards. This work is the first indication for a functional glycogen metabolism in mammal spermatozoa, which could play an important role in regulating sperm survival in vivo.

The function of ATP/ADP translocator in the regulation of mitochondrial respiration during development of heart ischemic injury

Inhibitor titration studies were carried out in order to quantify the amount of control exerted by ATP/ADP translocator on the rate of succinate, palmitoylcarnitine + malate and pyruvate + malate oxidation in ischemia-damaged heart mitochondria. It was shown that after 30 min of total ischemia in vitro the maximal value of the control coefficient of the translocator was as high as in the control: 0.5-0.72 (succinate), 0.8-0.87 (palmitoylcarnitine + malate), 0.83-0.95 (pyruvate+malate). However, the translocator-controlled range of respiratory rates of ischemic mitochondria was narrower than that of normal mitochondria. The control coefficient of the translocator close to State 3 and State 4 was equal to 0-0.15. After 45 min ischemia the maximal value of the translocator control coefficient decreased by 25-30% in comparison with normal mitochondria with all substrates investigated. This value was preserved within a wide range of mitochondrial respiratory rates including the maximal rate in State 3. It was found that the amount of ATP/ADP translocator in mitochondria decreased by 20% after only 45 min ischemia. Our data show that the ATP/ADP translocator is one of the most important steps in regulation of oxidative phosphorylation in isolated mitochondria during development of heart ischemic injury.

Use of NAD(P)H and flavoprotein fluorescence signals to characterize the redox state of pyridine nucleotides in epididymal bull spermatozoa

The redox behaviour of the NAD(P) system and flavoproteins was registered by simultaneous fluorescence measurements in epididymal bull spermatozoa. The flavoprotein fluorescence signal can nearly exclusively be attributed to an NAD-linked enzyme, alpha-lipoamide dehydrogenase (Em7.4 = -286 mV). A comparison of intact with digitonin-permeabilized spermatozoa revealed that about 50% of the total NAD(P)H fluorescence signal was of mitochondrial origin. Under equilibrium conditions, the midpoint potentials of the NAD(P)H fluorescence signal of both compartments were almost identical (-300 mV). When lactate was present as substrate, 1 mM caffeine increased respiration oxidizing the NAD(P)H system in both mitochondria and cytosol. This indicates a close relationship of the two NAD pools in spermatozoa.

Ischemia decreases the content of the adenine nucleotide translocator in mitochondria of rat kidney

The activity of the adenine nucleotide translocator is decreased at ischemia. Studies were undertaken to elucidate changes in the adenine nucleotide translocator by determining its content in mitochondria of ischemic rat kidney. After 60 min of ischemia, the content of the adenine nucleotide translocator amounted only to about 55%, of that measured in control mitochondria. At the same time, the flux control coefficient was increased. These changes paralled the well-known effects of ischemia: the decrease in oxidative phosphorylation and in adenine nucleotides. It is supposed that the decrease in the adenine nucleotide translocatar content accounts, at least partially, for the ischemia-induced impairment of mitochondria.

Xenopus spermatozoon: is there any correlation between motility and oxygen consumption?

The motility status of Xenopus laevis spermatozoa does not affect their respiration rate. Oxygen consumption for 10(9) spermatozoa is approximately 0.4 mumol/minute. Oxygen consumption is not increased by gramicidin D, an uncoupler, and it is not blocked by KCN or NaN3. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of spermatozoa that have been activated is definitely less than that in the spermatozoa that remained immotile. Incubation in KCN, NaN3, and gramicidin decreases the ATP content and impairs motility. The conclusions of the present study are that in Xenopus spermatozoa motility and oxygen consumption are not correlated, and the composition of the respiratory chain of these spermatozoa presents noteworthy peculiarities.