Fertilization antigen (FA-1) completely blocks human sperm binding to human zona pellucida: FA-1 antigen may be a sperm receptor for zona pellucida in humans.
The effects of purified human sperm fertilization antigen-1 (FA-1), affinity-purified monoclonal Fab' antibody to FA-1, and monoclonal Fab' antibody to phosphotyrosine residues on human sperm-zona interaction were investigated. The purified FA-1 antigen completely blocked sperm binding to zona pellucida (P < 0.0001). Also, the monoclonal Fab' antibodies to FA-1 antigen and phosphotyrosine residues significantly (P < 0.05) reduced sperm-zona pellucidae and the antibodies were preincubated with sperm before insemination and not vice versa. These results suggest that the tyrosine phosphorylation especially of FA-1 antigen has an important role in zona pellucida receptor recognition and binding. These findings also suggest that FA-1 antigen may be the sperm receptor involved in zona pellucida binding in humans.
New York Fertility Institute, NY, USA.
A L
AL
Kadam
M
M
Fateh
R K
RK
Naz
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology*; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000187:drug effects*; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000378:metabolism*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C054151:fertilization antigen