Fusion of prostasomes to human spermatozoa stimulates the acrosome reaction

Palmerini, Carlo Alberto; Saccardi, Carla; Carlini, E. A.; Fabiani, Roberto; Arienti, Giuseppe

doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(03)02160-5

Cited by 62 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…It has been demonstrated that prostasomes fuse with spermatozoa resulting in the loss of identifiable discrete prostasomal particles, 18 resulting in the transfer of enzyme activity, 19,20 altered membrane fluidity, 21 and changes in the acrosome reaction. 2 This work has shown that these interactions are favoured at slightly acidic conditions: it occurs optimally at pH 5.0-5.5, and is abolished by pH 8.0. This compares with the reported average pH of semen of 7.6, 22 although the first part of the ejaculate, containing the prostatic secretions and spermatozoa, is more acidic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

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In vitro inhibition of angiogenesis by prostasomes

Delves

Stewart²,

Lwaleed

et al. 2005

Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis

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Prostasomes are biologically active organelles that are secreted by human prostate epithelial cells, and it is believed that they have a role in prostatic disease. We studied the effect of prostasomes on the human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC)/Matrigel model of angiogenesis, and the association of labelled prostasomes with HUVECs. The growth inhibitory effect of prostasomes on HUVECs was assayed by spectrophotometric measurement of residual biomass. Preparations of HUVECs on a Matrigel base were exposed to prostasomes, and the development of capillary-like networks was quantified. Prostasomes were labelled with PKH-26, and cultured with HUVECs. Prostasomes were not shown to have a significant effect on HUVEC survival. Angiogenesis assays showed inhibition. The PKH-26-labelled particles were shown to have adhered to the HUVECs. This study adds the inhibition of an in vitro correlate of angiogenesis to the known actions of prostasomes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…They appear freely in semen, and have been shown to have an important role in fertility, with actions on sperm motility, 1 the acrosome reaction, 2 and immunomodulation. 3 Prostasomes have also been shown to have an antioxidant capability, albeit indirectly exerted.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In vitro inhibition of angiogenesis by prostasomes

Delves

Stewart²,

Lwaleed

et al. 2005

Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis

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“…Here, the role of prostasomes may change as a consequence of fusion with the sperm cells, allowing them to integrate contained cytosolic and membrane constituents into the sperm cell, although definitive proof of fusion at this time is lacking. Stimulatory effects of prostasomes on the acrosome reaction (Palmerini et al 2003, Siciliano et al 2008) and sperm motility (Fabiani et al 1994a, 1994b, Park et al 2011 have been reported, and as described above, these stimulatory functions can be explained by transfer of Ca 2C signalling tools as a result of the fusion of prostasomes to sperm cells (Park et al 2011). Whether fusion at this location really occurs and whether it is indeed pH dependent, along with the nature of a postulated low pH compartment, are questions that remain to be solved.…”

Section: Effects Of Prostasomes Referencesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Prostasomes: extracellular vesicles from the prostate

Aalberts¹,

Stout²,

Stoorvogel³

2014

Reproduction

173

150

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The term 'prostasomes' is generally used to classify the extracellular vesicles (EVs) released into prostatic fluid by prostate epithelial cells. However, other epithelia within the male reproductive tract also release EVs that mix with 'true' prostasomes during semen emission or ejaculation. Prostasomes have been proposed to regulate the timing of sperm cell capacitation and induction of the acrosome reaction, as well as to stimulate sperm motility where all three are prerequisite processes for spermatozoa to attain fertilising capacity. Other proposed functions of prostasomes include interfering with the destruction of spermatozoa by immune cells within the female reproductive tract. On the other hand, it is unclear whether the distinct presumed functions are performed collectively by a single type of prostasome or by separate distinct sub-populations of EVs. Moreover, the exact molecular mechanisms through which prostasomes exert their functions have not been fully resolved. Besides their physiological functions, prostasomes produced by prostate tumour cells have been suggested to support prostate cancer spread development, and prostasomes in peripheral blood plasma may prove to be valuable biomarkers for prostate cancer.

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“…Prostasomes have also been reported to either prevent the sperm acrosome from becoming responsive to progesterone, via the greater cholesterol content (Cross and Mahasreshti, 1997), or conversely to stimulate the acrosome reaction when sperm and prostasomes are mixed at pH 5.5 (Palmerini et al, 2003). However, while a pH of 5.5 appears to promote sperm-prostasome fusion, the latter observation is questionable because a pH of 5.5 is not physiological.…”

Section: Prostasomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The roles of the epididymis and prostasomes in the attainment of fertilizing capacity by stallion sperm

Šoštarić

Aalberts

Gadella

et al. 2008

Animal Reproduction Science

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The epididymis is a long, tightly coiled tube within the lumen of which sperm matures. Sperm maturation involves morphological and biochemical changes in the sperm plasma membrane in response to epididymal secretions and their various proteins. Some of these proteins become outer membrane components while others become integral membrane proteins; transfer of some proteins to the sperm plasma membrane may be mediated by epididymosomes. Nevertheless, the molecular pathways by which spermatozoa acquire fertilizing capacity during their transit through the epididymis remain ambiguous. In a recent study of stallion epididymal sperm, we found that sperm harvested from different parts of the epididymis (caput, corpus and cauda) had a varying, but generally poor, ability to undergo the acrosome reaction in vitro. At ejaculation, however, sperm mix with seminal plasma which contains various components, including the small membranous vesicles known as prostasomes, that may enable the sperm to undergo physiological activation. Seminal plasma components may have a 'washing' effect and help to remove 'de-capacitation' factors that coat the sperm during storage in the cauda epididymis; alternatively seminal plasma and prostasomes may contain factors that more directly promote sperm activation. This article reviews current information ଝ This paper is part of the Special issue entitled "Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Stallion Reproduction", Guest edited by Terttu Katila.* Corresponding author. Author's personal copy 238 E. Sostaric et al. / Animal Reproduction Science 107 (2008) 237-248 on the roles of epididymal and accessory gland fluids on the acquisition of fertilizing capacity by stallion sperm.

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Fusion of prostasomes to human spermatozoa stimulates the acrosome reaction

Cited by 62 publications

References 21 publications

In vitro inhibition of angiogenesis by prostasomes

In vitro inhibition of angiogenesis by prostasomes

Prostasomes: extracellular vesicles from the prostate

The roles of the epididymis and prostasomes in the attainment of fertilizing capacity by stallion sperm

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