Alpha-1,4-Glucosidase Activity in Ram Seminal Plasma Is Inversely Related to Serum Testosterone

Abstract

The epididymis of adult rams is the primary source of α-glucosidase in seminal plasma. Two breeds of rams were selected to ascertain whether the enzyme was under androgenic control during adult life of rams. Opposite variations between serum testosterone and α-glucosidase were recorded over a period of 16 months in Suffolk and Finnish Landrace. In addition, the highest percentage of sperm motility was associated with a low α-glucosidase content of seminal plasma. Data from this study suggest that seasonal variations of testosterone in adult rams exert a negative control on the presence of α-glucosidase in semen.

Seminal Plasma: An Essential Attribute to Spermatozoa

“…Arylsulfatase enzymes (AS‐A, ‐B, and ‐C) present in bull SP are thought to act as promoters of sperm capacitation and to remove sulfate from various glycoconjugates and steroid molecules involved in the stability and permeability of PM (Gadella et al, 1991). α‐1,4‐Glucosidase in ram SP is considered a useful marker of epididymal function, and its activity is negatively correlated with sperm motility (Tremblay et al, 1990). PGDS is the only one of the glutathione‐independent lipocalins that is associated with enzyme activity in bull (Gerena et al, 1998) and ram semen (Fouchécourt et al, 1999), and it is thought to have originated from epididymides.…”

Regulatory mechanisms of α-glucosidases in rat epididymis

“…Les c(-glucosidases (o~-l,4-glucosidase ; EC 3.2.1.20) 6pididymaires sont pr6sentes dans le cytoplasme ou les lysosomes des cellules 6pith61iales bordantes des diff6rents segments de l'organe. L'ot-glucosidase (c(-G) neutre ou s6cr6tde par l'6pididyme augmente chez l'homme (13) et le rat (6) en relation avec la testost6rone s6rique, tandis que I'ot-G acide ou lysosomale s'abaisse en situation de photop6riodisme avec testost6rone 61ev6e chez le b6tier (14). Dans un travail r&ent (10), nous avons montr6 que I'o~-G acide s'dl6ve clans les diffdrents segments de l'6pididyme du rat aprbs une vasectomie, alors que l'a-G demeure inchangde.…”