Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1978 Oct;75(10):4954–4958. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.10.4954

Stimulation of in vitro activation and the acrosome reaction of hamster spermatozoa by catecholamines

Lawrence E Cornett 1, Stanley Meizel 1,*
PMCID: PMC336240  PMID: 283405

Abstract

Capacitation and the acrosome reaction of mammalian spermatozoa are essential for fertilization. In vitro results are presented that demonstrate that catecholamines stimulate activation (a whiplash flagellar movement characteristic of capacitated hamster spermatozoa) and the acrosome reaction. Protein-free ultrafiltrates of bovine adrenal cortex and medulla preparations stimulated motility, activation, and acrosome reactions of hamster spermatozoa in the presence of bovine serum albumin. The medulla preparation was more effective than the cortex preparation in the stimulation of activation and acrosome reactions. Epinephrine (0.5-50 μM) and norepinephrine (50.0 μM) in the presence of bovine serum albumin and a partially purified protein-free cortex preparation also stimulated activation and the acrosome reactions. Both activation and acrosome reactions in the presence of epinephrine were inhibited by the adrenergic antagonists phentolamine and propranolol, suggesting the involvement of α- and β-adrenergic receptors in the stimulation of capacitation and the acrosome reaction. In addition, phenylephrine, an α-adrenergic agonist, was as potent as epinephrine in the stimulation of acrosome reactions, but activation was reduced. Isoproterenol, a β-adrenergic agonist, was as potent as epinephrine in the stimulation of activation, but acrosome reactions were reduced. High percentages of both activation and acrosome reactions were observed only in the presence of epinephrine, norepinephrine, or phenylephrine and isoproterenol together.

Keywords: capacitation, adrenergic receptors, epinephrine, membranes

Full text

PDF
4954

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ANTON A. H., SAYRE D. F. A study of the factors affecting the aluminum oxide-trihydroxyindole procedure for the analysis of catecholamines. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1962 Dec;138:360–375. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Assimacopoulos-Jeannet F. D., Blackmore P. F., Exton J. H. Studies on alpha-adrenergic activation of hepatic glucose output. Studies on role of calcium in alpha-adrenergic activation of phosphorylase. J Biol Chem. 1977 Apr 25;252(8):2662–2669. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Austin C. R. Membrane fusion events in fertilization. J Reprod Fertil. 1975 Jul;44(1):155–166. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0440155. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bavister B. D., Morton D. B. Separation of human serum components capable of inducing the acrosome reaction in hamster spermatozoa. J Reprod Fertil. 1974 Oct;40(2):495–498. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0400495. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bavister B. D. The effect of variations in culture conditions on the motility of hamster spermatozoa. J Reprod Fertil. 1974 Jun;38(2):431–440. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0380431. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Bavister B. D., Yanagimachi R., Teichman R. J. Capacitation of hamster spermatozoa with adrenal gland extracts. Biol Reprod. 1976 Mar;14(2):219–221. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod14.2.219. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Bavister B. D., Yanagimachi The effects of sperm extracts and energy sources on the motility and acrosome reaction of hamster spermatozoa in vitro. Biol Reprod. 1977 Mar;16(2):228–237. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod16.2.228. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Bedford J. M. Sperm capacitation and fertilization in mammals. Biol Reprod. 1970 Jun;2(Suppl):128–158. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Bodkhe R. R., Harper M. J. Changes in the amount of adrenergic neurotransmitter in the genital tract of untreated rabbits, and rabbits given reserpine or proniazid during the time of egg transport. Biol Reprod. 1972 Apr;6(2):288–299. doi: 10.1093/biolreprod/6.2.288. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Burden H. W., Lawrence I. E., Jr Presence of biogenic amines in early rat development. Am J Anat. 1973 Feb;136(2):251–257. doi: 10.1002/aja.1001360210. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Dujovne A. R., de Laborde N. P., Carril L. M., Cheviakoff S., Pedroza E., Rosner J. M. Correlation between catecholamine content of the human Fallopian tube and the uterus and plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1976 Feb 1;124(3):229–233. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(76)90148-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lui C. W., Cornett L. E., Meizel S. Identification of the bovine follicular fluid protein involved in the in vitro induction of the hamster sperm acrosome reaction. Biol Reprod. 1977 Aug;17(1):34–41. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod17.1.34. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lui C. W., Meizel S. Biochemical studies of the in vitro acrosome reaction inducing activity of bovine serum albumin. Differentiation. 1977 Oct 20;9(1-2):59–66. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-0436.1977.tb01519.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. MORAN N. C., PERKINS M. E. Adrenergic blockade of the mammalian heart by a dichloro analogue of isoproterenol. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1958 Nov;124(3):223–237. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Meizel S., Lui C. W. Evidence for the role of a trypsin-like enzyme in the hamster sperm acrosome reaction. J Exp Zool. 1976 Jan;195(1):137–144. doi: 10.1002/jez.1401950113. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Petersen O. H., Ueda N., Hall R. A., Gray T. A. The role of calcium in parotid amylase secretion evoked by excitation of cholinergic, alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors. Pflugers Arch. 1977;372(3):231–237. doi: 10.1007/BF01063857. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Strott C. A. Use of plasma-binding proteins for steroid hormone assays. Methods Enzymol. 1975;36:34–48. doi: 10.1016/s0076-6879(75)36005-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Wolfe B. B., Harden T. K., Molinoff P. B. In vitro study of beta-adrenergic receptors. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 1977;17:575–604. doi: 10.1146/annurev.pa.17.040177.003043. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Yanagimachi R. In vitro capacitation of golden hamster spermatozoa by homologous and heterologous blood sera. Biol Reprod. 1970 Oct;3(2):147–153. doi: 10.1093/biolreprod/3.2.147. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Yanagimachi R. In vitro capacitation of hamster spermatozoa by follicular fluid. J Reprod Fertil. 1969 Mar;18(2):275–286. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0180275. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Yanagimachi R. The movement of golden hamster spermatozoa before and after capacitation. J Reprod Fertil. 1970 Oct;23(1):193–196. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0230193. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Yanagimachi R., Usui N. Calcium dependence of the acrosome reaction and activation of guinea pig spermatozoa. Exp Cell Res. 1974 Nov;89(1):161–174. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(74)90199-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES