Magainins affect respiratory control, membrane potential and motility of hamster spermatozoa.
The hypothesis was tested that the magainin peptides, known to compromise bacterial and mitochondrial energetics, are highly active against spermatozoa. A mixture of magainin A and PGLa (1:1) caused a 50% reduction in motility of hamster spermatozoa at 4 micrograms/ml total peptide concentration. All motility was lost at 8 micrograms/ml. At this concentration, respiratory control was released and respiration in the presence of uncoupler was inhibited. Uptake of the lipophilic cation tetraphenyl phosphonium was largely abolished by addition of magainin A and PGLa showed synergism with respect to release of respiratory control.
de Waal
A
A
Section of Molecular Biology, Netherlands Cancer Insitute, Amsterdam.
Vaz Gomes
A
A
Mensink
A
A
Grootegoed
J A
JA
Westerhoff
H V
HV
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D006224:Cricetinae; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013087:Spermatids / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D010455:Peptides; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents; C067773:magainin A