title: Occurrence of platelet-activating factor in rabbit spermatozoa.
abstract: Spermatozoa obtained from rabbit ejaculate were analyzed for the presence of platelet-activating factor [PAF; 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (AGEPC)] by using standard HPLC and TLC procedures. Fractions corresponding to synthetic PAF (AGEPC) revealed PAF-like activity amounting to 0.35 +/- 0.06 pmol/10(8) cells (mean +/- SE) as determined by bioassays based on the release of [3H]serotonin from washed rabbit platelets. This activity was lost upon base-catalyzed methanolysis, but was restored to the original level after reacetylation. Analysis of the phosphatidylcholine (PC) fraction by GC-MS subsequent to base-catalyzed methanolysis showed that 1-O-alkyl-2-acylphosphocholine comprises about 12% of the PC fraction with alkyl chain lengths of 16:0 (88%) and 18:0 (12%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hanahan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010743:Phospholipids; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; D012701:Serotonin