Differential protein expression of GABA A receptor alpha 1 subunit and calbindin in rat spermatozoa associated with proteomic analysis in testis following methamphetamine administration

Methamphetamine (METH) can induce spermatogenesis impairment, testicular apoptosis, and abnormal sperm quality. It also promotes changes in the expression of receptors for sex hormones and neurotransmitters, including GABA receptors in the testis. Proteomic assessment focusing on proteins involved in the calcium signalling pathway in the testis can facilitate diagnostic factors contributing to testicular and sperm functions, especially those related to spermatogenesis and fertilisation. In this study, we proposed to determine the localisation and differential expression of GABA A receptor alpha 1 subunit (GABA A-α1) in the spermatozoa of METH-administered rats. The differential proteomic profile of the testis was also observed by focusing on proteins in the KEGG pathways belonging to the calcium signalling pathway. There were 212 differentially expressed proteins in the rat testis, based on the cut-off value of 1.2-fold change. Most of those proteins, 13 proteins, were classified in the calcium signalling pathway, including 4 down-regulated and 9 up-regulated proteins. An immunolocalisation study of the GABA A-α1 receptor and calbindin revealed their localisation in the equatorial segment of the head in the rat spermatozoa. The expression of calbindin is also found in the middle piece of sperm. An increase in GABA A-α1 receptor in rat spermatozoa was correlated with an increase in abnormal sperm motility and morphology after methamphetamine exposure. Moreover, calbindin expression in sperm decreased in METH-administered rats. All our findings demonstrate that METH influences intracellular calcium homeostasis by acting through the calcium signalling pathway-associated proteins. Moreover, it might disrupt ion homeostasis in sperm through the GABA A-α1 receptor and calbindin, triggering a change in intracellular calcium and chloride ions. These changes may cause abnormalities in spermatogenesis, testicular apoptosis, and sperm quality impairment.

High mRNA expression of GABA receptors in human sperm with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and teratozoospermia and its association with sperm parameters and intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes

Objective

This study investigated the mRNA expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the sperm of oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) and teratozoospermic (TER) men compared to normozoospermic (NOR) men, as well as the relationships between GABA receptor expression and sperm parameters, fertilization rate, and embryo quality.

Methods

The mRNA expression of GABA A-α1 and GABA B-R2 receptors in sperm was examined using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction in three groups of patients: NOR (n=32), OAT (n=22), and TER (n=45). The fertilization rate and embryo quality were assessed in 35 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI; 10 NOR, 10 OAT, and 15 TER men).

Results

OAT men had significantly higher mRNA expression of GABA A-α1 and GABA B-R2 receptors in sperm than NOR men; however, the difference between TER and NOR men was not significant. High levels of these receptors were significantly correlated with low sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, as well as the rate of good-quality embryos (GQEs) at the cleavage stage after ICSI. Patients whose female partners had a >50% GQE rate at the cleavage stage had significantly lower levels of GABA A-α1 receptor expression than those whose partners had a ≤50% GQE rate.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that mRNA levels of GABA receptors in human sperm are correlated with poor sperm quality and associated with embryo development after ICSI treatment. The GABA A-α1 receptor in sperm has a stronger relationship with embryo quality at the cleavage stage than the GABA B-R2 receptor.

GABAergic Alterations in the Rat Testis after Methamphetamine Exposure

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), GABA-A receptors and GABA transporter 1 (GAT1) were reported to be involved in the proliferation of Leydig cells, testosterone production and spermatogenesis. Since methamphetamine (METH) has been reported to have adverse effects on testis and its functions, the aim of this study was therefore to determine the changes of GABAergic activity in testis after METH exposure. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, acute binge (AB-METH), escalating dose (ED METH) and escalating dose-binge (ED-binge METH) groups. After sacrifice, rat testes were removed and used to estimate GABA concentration and the expression of GABA-A receptor, GAD1, GAD2 and GAT1 genes by using HPLC and RT-PCR, respectively. The GABA concentration was significantly increased in all METH-administrated groups. In addition, significant increases of GABA-A α1 receptor and GAD1 genes expression were found in the ED-binge METH group. Gene expressions of GAT1 were numerically decreased in all METH-administrated rats and reached significant in the ED METH group. These results indicated a compensatory upregulation of GABA production and its functions in testis after METH exposure. Thus, these changes might represent a homeostatic response of GABAergic to the adverse effects of METH.