title: Expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in male germ cells: GM-CSF enhances sperm motility.
abstract: The granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a pleiotropic cytokine capable of stimulating proliferation, maturation and function of hematopoietic cells. Receptors for this cytokine are composed of two subunits, alpha and beta, and are expressed on myeloid progenitors and mature mononuclear phagocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and neutrophils, as well as in other nonhematopietic cells. We have recently demonstrated that bull spermatozoa express functional GM-CSF receptors that signal for increased glucose and Vitamin C uptake. In this study, we analyzed the expression of GM-CSF in bovine and human germ cells and its influence in bovine sperm motility. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in situ hybridization and immunoblotting analysis demonstrated that adult bovine and human testes expressed GM-CSF. In addition, immunolocalization studies confirmed the presence of GM-CSF in the germ cell line in bovine and human testes. Computer-assisted evaluation of patterns of sperm motility demonstrated that the addition of GM-CSF enhances several parameters of sperm motility in the presence of glucose or fructose substrates.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile.
authors.forename: Lourdes T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Vilanova
authors.forename: M Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rauch
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mansilla
authors.forename: Angara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zambrano
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alfaro
authors.forename: José F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Ilona I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Concha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D005632:Fructose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015870:Gene Expression; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry*; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005632:Fructose; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D005947:Glucose