title: Progesterone receptor as an indicator of sperm function.
abstract: Expression of progesterone receptor (PR) localization on spermatozoa was determined in men with normal and abnormal spermiograms. Studies were also carried out to evaluate the potential of PR as a marker of sperm function. Progesterone receptor expression on spermatozoa from men with normozoospermia (n = 8), oligozoospermia (n = 7), asthenozoospermia (n = 8), oligoasthenozoospermia (n = 7), and teratozoospermia (n = 11) was analyzed using an immunocytochemical method with monoclonal antibodies against PR, and flow cytometry using a cell-impermeable fluorescein-tagged progesterone coupled to BSA complex (P-FITC-BSA). Both methods revealed significantly fewer (P < 0.05) PR-positive spermatozoa in men with oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, oligoasthenozoospermia, and teratozoospermia compared with men with normozoospermia, thereby suggesting that down-regulation of PR expression in spermatozoa may be one of the causes of male infertility. Spermatozoa from men with normozoospermia (n = 12), oligozoospermia (n = 12), asthenozoospermia (n = 12), oligoasthenozoospermia (n = 9), and teratozoospermia (n = 10) were exposed to low osmotic conditions in the hypoosmotic swelling (HOS) test and then analyzed for PR expression using P-FITC-BSA complex. A significantly higher percentage (P < 0.05) of spermatozoa with physiologically active plasma membrane (HOS+) lacked PR expression (HOS+PR-) in all categories of men with infertility, thereby suggesting that compared to the HOS test, PR expression is a better indicator of sperm function. Furthermore, PR expression in spermatozoa showed a strong (P < 0.05) positive correlation with their ability to undergo an in vitro acrosome reaction. This was observed in all study groups (i.e., normozoospermia, r = 0.8545; oligozoospermia, r = 0.8711; asthenozoospermia, r = 0.7645; oligoasthenozoospermia, r = 0.9003; and teratozoospermia, r = 0.8676). This suggests a potential role for PR in the events leading to the acrosome reaction in sperm.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Reproduction, Indian Council of Medical Research, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India.
authors.forename: Sushama
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gadkar
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Geetanjali
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sachdeva
authors.forename: Urmila
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Samant
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Puri
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000737:chemistry; D020101:Acrosome Reaction; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D048429:Cell Size; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C039217:fluorescein isothiocyanate bovine serum albumin; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate