Inverse relationship between the induction of human sperm capacitation and spontaneous acrosome reaction by various biological fluids and the superoxide scavenging capacity of these fluids

Abstract

Capacitation of spermatozoa is essential for fertilization, and can be induced by various agents or biological fluids. Previous reports have shown that foetal cord serum (FCS) and the superoxide anion trigger human sperm hyperactivation and capacitation, and that superoxide dismutase (SOD) prevents these processes. We investigated: (1) the capacity of seminal plasma (SP) and follicular fluid (FF) (whole, or fractionated into high and low molecular weight components), in the presence or absence of SOD, to induce the spontaneous acrosome reaction (no stimulant needed, AR) and capacitation (as measured by the lysophosphatidyl-choline-induced AR, LPC-AR); (2) a possible relationship between the levels of AR and capacitation obtained with these biological fluids and the superoxide scavenging capacity of the same fluids. The highest levels of LPC-AR were obtained with FF ultrafiltrate (48 +/- 6%), followed by SP ultrafiltrate (31.9 +/- 0.8%), FF (30 +/- 5%), dialysed FF (27 +/- 4%), and finally, by FCS ultrafiltrate (23 +/- 1%), SP (21 +/- 1%) and dialysed SP (18.9 +/- 0.8%). A similar order of potency for the fluids existed when sperm AR was studied, the levels of AR observed ranging from 16 +/- 2% to 5.3 +/- 0.8% after incubation with FF ultrafiltrate and SP respectively. None of these treatments had detrimental effects on sperm motility. In the presence of SOD, there was always an important reduction (52-86%) of the AR and LPC-AR observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Altered molecular dynamics and antioxidant status in the spermatozoa in testosterone-induced oligospermia in mouse

“…The superoxide anion production by spermatozoa appeared to be dependent on the activity of a membrane bound NADPH oxidase regulated by calcium and protein phosphorylation which are dependent on protein kinase C (Aitken and Clarkson, 1987;Aitken et al, 1993), which becomes active upon removal of seminal plasma (de Lamirande and Gagnon, 1993). The sperm NADPH oxidase is distinctively different from the NADPH oxidase of neutrophils (de Lamirande et al, 1998).…”

Effects of Spinal Cord Injury on Semen Parameters

“…Oxidative effects result in low sperm motility due to rapid loss of intracellular adenosine triphosphate, but oxidative damage to sperm DNA is not always associated with decreased cell viability or motility (47,48). ROS are, however, necessary for regulating the degree of hyperactivation and controlling the sperm activity while undergoing the acrosome reaction (49,50).…”

Prostasomes, reactive oxygen species and human semen

“…Les DAO sont impliqu6s dans la r4gulation de la RA puisqu'une relation lin4aire inverse entre l'activit6 SOD-like de fluides d6clenchant la RA (ultrafiltrats de fluide folliculaire ou de s6rum de cordon foetal) et le pourcentage de RA a 6t6 montr6 [30]. Pour Griveau et al [42], l'anion superoxyde produit par les spermatozo~des serait impliqu6 dans la RA mais pas dans le processus de capacitation.…”