title: Uptake and release of free L-carnitine by boar epididymal spermatozoa in vitro and subsequent acetylation rate.
abstract: In the male reproductive tract, very high concentrations (mmol l-1) of free L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine are found in the epididymides, seminal plasma and spermatozoa. It has been reported that the uptake of free L-carnitine by spermatozoa might be related to the epididymal maturation of the sperm membrane, since a greater uptake was found by caput than by cauda spermatozoa in vitro. However, the free L-carnitine concentrations estimated inside the gametes were never greater than those of the surrounding medium. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of transport of free L-carnitine and its ester acetyl-L-carnitine, through the plasma membrane of mature and immature epididymal boar spermatozoa. In vitro, we found a passive diffusion of both compounds to the spermatozoa, whatever the maturation stage. The spermatozoa might progress in the epididymal lumen and accumulate high amounts of free L-carnitine. The active uptake of free L-carnitine occurs only across epididymal mucosa. These results are in agreement with those reported on cells of other organs that exchange pharmacological free L-carnitine concentrations (mmol l-1) by a passive mechanism through the plasma membrane. The acetylation of high amounts of free L-carnitine inside the spermatozoa was found only in caudal spermatozoa. This result suggests that oxidative metabolism (producing acetyl CoA) might be more active in mature cells. The acetyl-L-carnitine added to the incubation medium of boar spermatozoa was hydrolysed. Enzymatic activity of the sperm membrane is low and this may partially explain the low concentrations of acetyl-L-carnitine found in the caudal epididymal plasma.
authors.affiliation: Biologie Cellulaire et Biologie de la Reproduction et du Développement, CHU, Le Kremlin-bicêtre, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jeulin
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dacheux
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Soufir
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002331:Carnitine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004822:Epididymis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D013079:Sperm Maturation / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000108:Acetylcarnitine; D002331:Carnitine