Nitric oxide involvement in the acrosome reaction triggered by leptin in pig sperm
Open Access
- 4 October 2011
- journal article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
- Vol. 9 (1), 133
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-9-133
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is a signaling molecule produced by intracellular nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzymes. This free radical appears to affect sperm capacitation, a maturation step preceding acrosome reaction. Recent studies have reported leptin ability to promote capacitation and acrosome reaction in pig male gametes. This study has investigated nitric oxide production in leptin-treated pig spermatozoa by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, while the intracellular NOS isoforms were assessed by Western blot analysis. In addition, acrosome status of treated-spermatozoa was evaluated by FITC-PNA staining. Significant increases of nitric oxide levels and acrosome reaction extent were detected in leptin-treated spermatozoa, but both the effects were reversed in presence of L-NAME. Furthermore, the immunoblots of sperm extracts have evidenced three bands of ~160 Kd(bNOS), ~130 Kd (iNOS) and ~135 Kd (eNOS). The identification of the three intracellular NOS isoforms suggests that pig spermatozoa could produce NO, while the augmented nitric oxide levels in leptin-treated male gametes indicates the capacity of the hormone to induce nitric oxide production. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of L-NAME and of Ab-ObR on the promotion of acrosome reaction triggered by leptin suggests a possible involvement of NO in the hormone action.Keywords
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