The binding of recombinant human relaxin to human spermatozoa.
Porcine relaxin has been reported to stimulate various human sperm functions. In this paper we report that human recombinant relaxin binds to human sperm with a high affinity (Kd = 6.5 x 10(-10)). The bound 125I-relaxin was not displaced by insulin, or human chorionic gonadotropin, however, it was displaced by unlabeled relaxin. In sperm function studies, recombinant human relaxin stimulated sperm motility, zona-free hamster egg penetration, and the acrosome reaction.
Carrell
D T
DT
Division of Urology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 81432, USA.
Peterson
C M
CM
Urry
R L
RL
D000177:Acrosome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012065:Relaxin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D007328:Insulin; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012065:Relaxin