RESUMO
The long-term goal of this research project is to set up efficient protocol that can be used to develop a standardized approach for vitrification of marine fish spermatozoa. In particular, the aim of the present study was to develop a vitrification protocol for sea bream (Sparus aurata) spermatozoa. To draw up the protocol, we tested two different dilution media (1% NaCl and Mounib medium), three different vitrification devices (loops, drops and cut straws), different cryoprotectants (CPs) and three different equilibration times (30, 60 and 120â¯s). The effect of the different vitrification procedures on spermatozoa quality was checked by measuring spermatozoa motility rate and viability, mitochondrial membrane potential and the fertilizing ability of both fresh and post-thawed gametes. The best result was obtained by dropping directly into liquid nitrogen 20⯵l of spermatozoa suspension (drop-wise method) diluted with Mounib buffer containing 10% Me2SO + 10% glycerol. The addition of a mixture of anti-freezing proteins, AFPI and AFPIII, to Mounib buffer significantly increases the spermatozoa quality following vitrification so confirming the usefulness of AFPs in improving the quality of gametes subjected to the vitrification process. The present study proves that vitrification offers an alternative to conventional sperm cryopreservation also in this species.
Assuntos
Criopreservação , Dourada , Preservação do Sêmen/métodos , Espermatozoides , Vitrificação , Animais , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Criopreservação/instrumentação , Criopreservação/métodos , Criopreservação/veterinária , Crioprotetores/farmacologia , Masculino , Potencial da Membrana Mitocondrial/efeitos dos fármacos , Preservação do Sêmen/instrumentação , Preservação do Sêmen/veterinária , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Cryopreservation induces injuries to fish spermatozoa that in turn affect sperm quality in terms of fertilization ability, motility, DNA and protein integrity and larval survival. To reduce the loss of sperm quality due to freezing-thawing, it is necessary to improve these procedures. In the present study we investigated the ability of two antifreeze proteins (AFPI and AFPIII) to reduce the loss of quality of sea bream spermatozoa due to cryopreservation. To do so, we compared viability, motility, straight-line velocity and curvilinear velocity of fresh and (AFPs)-cryopreserved spermatozoa. AFPIII addition to cryopreservation medium improved viability, motility and straight-line velocity with respect to DMSO or DMSO plus AFPI. To clarify the molecular mechanism(s) underlying these findings, the protein profile of two different cryopreserved sperm domains, flagella and head plasma membranes, was analysed. The protein profiles differed between fresh and frozen-thawed semen and results of the image analysis demonstrated that, after cryopreservation, out of 270 proteins 12 were decreased and 7 were increased in isolated flagella, and out of 150 proteins 6 showed a significant decrease and 4 showed a significant increase in head membranes. Mass spectrometry analysis identified 6 proteins (4 from isolated flagella and 2 present both in flagella and head plasma membranes) within the protein spots affected by the freezing-thawing procedure. 3 out of 4 proteins from isolated flagella were involved in the sperm bioenergetic system. Our results indicate that the ability of AFPIII to protect sea bream sperm quality can be, at least in part, ascribed to reducing changes in the sperm protein profile occurring during the freezing-thawing procedure. Our results clearly demonstrated that AFPIII addition to cryopreservation medium improved the protection against freezing respect to DMSO or DMSO plus AFPI. In addition we propose specific proteins of spermatozoa as markers related to the procedures of fish sperm cryopreservation.
Assuntos
Proteínas Anticongelantes/farmacologia , Criopreservação , Flagelos/metabolismo , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Proteoma/metabolismo , Proteômica/métodos , Dourada/metabolismo , Cabeça do Espermatozoide/metabolismo , Animais , Membrana Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Crioprotetores/farmacologia , Eletroforese em Gel Bidimensional , Fertilização/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas de Peixes/metabolismo , Masculino , Espectrometria de Massas , Cabeça do Espermatozoide/efeitos dos fármacos , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Changes in the plasma membrane lipid composition have been related to a decrease in sperm quality during cryopreservation. Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) have been tested in different species because of their ability to depress the freezing point and their potential interaction with membranes, but controversial effects were reported. In the present study we analyzed separately the lipid composition of two sperm membrane domains, head plasma membrane (HM) and flagellar membrane (FM), after cryopreservation with an extender containing 5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) either alone or with AFPI or AFPIII (1 µg/ml). We used sperm from a teleost, Sparus aurata, because the lack of acrosome avoids changes of lipid profiles due to capacitation process or acrosomal losses during freezing/thawing. Comparing with the control (cryopreservation with 5% DMSO alone), the addition of AFPIII increased the velocity, linearity of movement, and percentage of viable cells. In addition, freezing with DMSO alone increased the phosphatidyl-serine content as well as the saturated fatty acids and decreased the unsaturated ones (mainly polyunsaturated) both in HM and FM. These changes in the lipid components were highly avoided with the addition of AFPIII. HM had a higher amount of saturated fatty acids than FM and was more affected by cryopreservation without AFPs. The percentage of viable cells was positively correlated with the amount of unsaturated fatty acids in the HM, whereas the motility parameters were positively correlated with both FM and HM amount of unsaturated fatty acids. AFPs, especially AFPIII, seem to have interacted with unsaturated fatty acids, stabilizing the plasma membrane organization during cryopreservation and contributing to improve sperm quality after thawing.
Assuntos
Proteínas Anticongelantes/farmacologia , Membrana Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Criopreservação/métodos , Crioprotetores/farmacologia , Lipídeos de Membrana/metabolismo , Perciformes/metabolismo , Preservação do Sêmen/métodos , Animais , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Dimetil Sulfóxido/farmacologia , Ácidos Graxos/metabolismo , Ácidos Graxos Insaturados/metabolismo , Masculino , Cabeça do Espermatozoide/efeitos dos fármacos , Cabeça do Espermatozoide/ultraestrutura , Cauda do Espermatozoide/efeitos dos fármacos , Cauda do Espermatozoide/ultraestruturaRESUMO
Our previous studies demonstrated that osmolality is the key signal in sperm motility activation in Sparus aurata spermatozoa. In particular, we have proposed that the hyper-osmotic shock triggers water efflux from spermatozoa via aquaporins. This water efflux determines the cell volume reduction and, in turn, the rise in the intracellular concentration of ions. This increase could lead to the activation of adenylyl cyclase and of the cAMP-signaling pathway, causing the phosphorylation of sperm proteins and then the initiation of sperm motility. This study confirms the important role of sea bream AQPs (Aqp1a and Aqp10b) in the beginning of sperm motility. In fact, when these proteins are inhibited by HgCl(2), the phosphorylation of some proteins (174 kDa protein of head; 147, 97 and 33 kDa proteins of flagella), following the hyper-osmotic shock, was inhibited (totally or partially). However, our results also suggest that more than one transduction pathways could be activated when sea bream spermatozoa were ejaculated in seawater, since numerous proteins showed an HgCl(2)(AQPs)-independent phosphorylation state after motility activation. The role played by each different signal transduction pathways need to be clarified.
Assuntos
Adenilil Ciclases/metabolismo , Aquaporinas/antagonistas & inibidores , Dourada/metabolismo , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides/fisiologia , Espermatozoides/metabolismo , Animais , Aquaporinas/metabolismo , Flagelos/efeitos dos fármacos , Flagelos/fisiologia , Masculino , Cloreto de Mercúrio/farmacologia , Concentração Osmolar , Fosforilação/efeitos dos fármacos , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides/efeitos dos fármacos , Gravação em VídeoRESUMO
The expression of aquaporins in the spermatozoa of the marine teleost gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) and their involvement in the motility activation process were investigated. Sperm motility was activated by a hyperosmotic shock, but it was completely inhibited by 10 microM HgCl(2), such inhibition being partially recovered by beta-mercaptoethanol (ME). Conventional RT-PCR using primers specific for S. aurata aquaglyceroporin (glp) and aquaporin 1a (aqp1a) demonstrated the presence of both mRNAs in spermatozoa. Heterologous expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes showed that 10 and 100 microM HgCl(2) equally inhibited water and solute transport through S. aurata aquaporin 1a and S. aurata aquaglyceroporin, but treatment with ME only recovered aquaporin 1a-mediated water permeability. Western blot analysis using isoform-specific antisera on protein extracts from spermatozoa revealed bands that corresponded to the predicted molecular mass of S. aurata aquaglyceroporin (31 kDa) and S. aurata aquaporin 1a (28 kDa). The antisera also demonstrated that both aquaporins were localized in the head and flagellum of the spermatozoa. However, the immunoreaction at the plasma membrane of the spermatozoa head was more intense after the hyperosmotic activation, suggesting the translocation of both aquaporin 1a and aquaglyceroporin into the plasma membrane after the osmotic shock. This study therefore provides the first direct demonstration for the presence of aquaporins in fish sperm. The different sensitivities of S. aurata aquaporin 1a and S. aurata aquaglyceroporin to ME may explain the failure of this reducing agent to fully recover the mercurial inhibition of sperm motility, suggesting that these aquaporins may play different physiological roles during the activation and maintenance of sperm motility in sea bream.
Assuntos
Aquagliceroporinas/metabolismo , Aquaporina 1/metabolismo , Dourada/fisiologia , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides/fisiologia , Espermatozoides/metabolismo , Animais , Western Blotting , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Processamento de Imagem Assistida por Computador , Imuno-Histoquímica , Masculino , Cloreto de Mercúrio/farmacologia , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Espermatozoides/efeitos dos fármacos , Gravação em VídeoRESUMO
Molecular mechanisms involved in sperm motility initiation in two sparids (Sparus aurata and Lithognathus mormyrus) have been studied. Our comparative study demonstrates that osmolality is the key signal in sperm motility activation in both species, whereas K(+) and Ca(2+) do not have any role. The straight-line velocity that resulted, however, was significantly different when measured in sperm activated with non-ionic and/or calcium-free solutions with respect to that measured in seawater-activated sperm. In both species, motility initiation depends on cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation. The phosphorylation/dephosphorylation patterns that resulted in gilthead and striped sea bream were quite different. In gilthead sea bream, the phosphorylated proteins have molecular weights of 174, 147, 138, 70, and 9-15 kDa, whereas the dephosphorylated proteins have molecular weights of 76, 57, and 33 kDa. In striped sea bream, phosphorylation after sperm motility activation occurred on proteins of 174, 147, 103, 96, 61, 57, and 28 kDa, whereas only one protein of 70 kDa resulted from dephosphorylation. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight analyses allowed identification of the following proteins: In gilthead sea bream, the 9-15 kDa proteins that were phosphorylated after motility activation include an A-kinase anchor protein (AKAP), an acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase, and a protein phosphatase inhibitor, and in striped sea bream, 103- and 61-kDa proteins that were phosphorylated after motility activation were identified as a phosphatase (myotubularin-related protein 1) and a kinase (DYRK3), respectively.
Assuntos
Dourada/metabolismo , Dourada/fisiologia , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides/fisiologia , Animais , Cálcio/farmacologia , AMP Cíclico/fisiologia , Proteínas Quinases Dependentes de AMP Cíclico/metabolismo , Proteínas Quinases Dependentes de AMP Cíclico/fisiologia , Masculino , Concentração Osmolar , Potássio/farmacologia , Proteoma/análise , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides/efeitos dos fármacos , Espermatozoides/química , Espermatozoides/metabolismoRESUMO
In this study we examined the fluctuations of the intracellular calcium concentration in isolated hepatopancreatic R cells during the four molting stages of the prawn Marsupenaeus japonicus. In addition, we used the Fura-2-AM fluorescence technique to investigate the release of calcium from mitochondria and ATP-sensitive calcium stores (endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi, and nucleus) into cytoplasm during the molting cycle. Results demonstrate that both the cytosolic free calcium concentration and the total cell calcium (free, bound to calcium-binding proteins, and stored in amorphous form) in the R cells strictly depend upon the molting cycle. Interestingly, the total cell calcium was higher (approximately 10 mmol l(-1)) in postmolt than in premolt (approximately 1 mmol l(-1)) and intermolt (approximately 0.3 mmol l(-1)). The calcium released from mitochondria was higher during premolt than during postmolt and intermolt, but the amount of calcium released from ATP-sensitive calcium stores was similar during all four stages. All together, our results suggest that the mitochondria-ATP-sensitive calcium stores system does not play a key role in calcium storage during the molting cycle but that it is involved in transcellular calcium flux. We hypothesize that lysosome or membrane-clad concretion vacuoles could represent the main site of calcium storage in hepatopancreatic R cells.
Assuntos
Cálcio/metabolismo , Hepatopâncreas/metabolismo , Muda/fisiologia , Penaeidae/fisiologia , Adenosina Trifosfatases/metabolismo , Animais , Citoplasma/metabolismo , Fura-2 , Mitocôndrias/metabolismo , Penaeidae/metabolismo , Espectrometria de FluorescênciaRESUMO
In the present study we used two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-associated laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry to verify whether the protein expression of sea bass sperm was affected by the cryopreservation procedure. The protein profiles differed between fresh and frozen-thawed semen as revealed by visual inspection and by image analysis software. We identified 163 spots in fresh sperm; among these, 13 were significantly decreased and 8 were absent in two-dimensional gel obtained with cryopreserved sperm. Five of these spots were analyzed with MALDI-TOF, but only three showed a significant match in the databases used in bio-informatics analysis (PeptIdent, Mascot, and MS-Fit). In particular, spot 5 showed homology with a novel protein of zebrafish (similar to SKB1 of human and mouse), spot 13 showed homology with amphibian G1/S-specific cyclin E2, and spot 20 showed homology with the hypothetical protein DKFZp566A1524 of Brachidanio rerio. The present work shows that the use of the cryopreservation procedure causes the degradation of sperm proteins and among these, two could be at least partially responsible for the observed decrease in sperm motility duration and the lower hatching rate of eggs fertilized with cryopreserved sperm.
Assuntos
Bass/metabolismo , Criopreservação , Proteínas de Peixes/metabolismo , Preservação do Sêmen , Espermatozoides/metabolismo , Animais , Eletroforese em Gel Bidimensional , Proteínas de Peixes/isolamento & purificação , Masculino , Mapeamento de Peptídeos , Espectrometria de Massas por Ionização e Dessorção a Laser Assistida por Matriz , Proteínas de Xenopus/isolamento & purificação , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/isolamento & purificaçãoRESUMO
The most common parameters used to evaluate sperm quality are motility rate and duration and fertilization ability. In this study, chemical and biochemical parameters of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) sperm were investigated to find an alternative method for evaluating sperm fertilization ability before and after cryopreservation. The biochemical and chemical analyses were performed with fresh and frozen-thawed sperm and seminal plasma. To cryopreserve sperm, 250-microl straws were used. Fertilization ability was evaluated by inseminating eggs (obtained from hormonally stimulated females) with fresh and cryopreserved sperm. The results revealed a linear relationship (P < 0.05) between semen fertilization capacity and some seminal plasma (beta-D-glucuronidase activity, potassium concentration) and sperm (ATP concentration, aspartate aminotransferase activity) parameters. Variations in semen fertilization rate could be best described by two multiple regression models: one including the sperm parameters and another including the seminal plasma parameters. For practical application, the use of simple regression models is of value. Fertilization rate in both fresh and cryopreserved sperm was reliably predicted by determining the ATP concentration or the beta-D-glucuronidase activity or both.
Assuntos
Trifosfato de Adenosina/metabolismo , Bass/metabolismo , Glucuronidase/metabolismo , Sêmen/metabolismo , Animais , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Criopreservação , Feminino , Fertilização/fisiologia , Masculino , Preservação do SêmenRESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIMS: In thyroid cells, the intracellular pH plays a key role in the control of the iodide uptake, since iodide accumulation is associated with an intracellular acidification. In the present paper we studied the kinetic proprieties of the Na(+)/H(+) antiporter (NHE) and the molecular expression of different NHE isoforms in rat thyroid PC-Cl3 cells. In addition the intracellular buffer capacity was also evaluated. METHODS: pHi was measured using the pH sensitive fluorescent dye BCECF-AM. Amiloride, 5-(N,N-Dimethyl) hydrochloride was used to inhibit NHE activity. RT-PCR and western blot analyses were used to study the expression of NHE mRNA and protein isoforms. RESULTS: PC-Cl3 cells shown a resting pHi, in the absence of CO(2)/HCO(3)(-), of 6.94 +/- 0.1; after an acid load PC-Cl3 cells recovered toward resting pHi value, using a Na-dependent H(+) extrusion mechanisms which was amiloride sensitive (K(i) = 23 microM). The kinetic parameters were K((Na)app) = 10 +/- 2 mM and V(max) = 0.23 +/- 0.02 DeltapH/min x 10(5) cells. NHE1, NHE2 and NHE3 were expressed at the mRNA level as well as at the protein level. CONCLUSION: PC-Cl3 cells express a functional Na/H exchange activity and different isoforms (NHE1, NHE2 and NHE3) are expressed in the plasma membrane.