title: Influence of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) on the zinc content and redox state of protein-bound sulphydryl groups in rat sperm: indications for a new role of MIF in sperm maturation.
abstract: The function of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in sperm maturation was studied by investigating its role in the biochemical maturation of the outer dense fibres. Rat sperm obtained from the caput and cauda epididymis were stimulated overnight with either recombinant MIF or MIF-containing vesicles originating from epididymal fluid at various concentrations. The zinc content of both the sperm and the medium was determined by means of atomic absorption spectrometry. Incubation in both recombinant MIF and vesicular MIF resulted in a statistically significant decrease of the zinc content in stimulated caput sperm of approximately 50%. In parallel, the conditioned media showed a clear increase in the concentration of this trace metal. The effect of MIF was less marked in cauda sperm. In addition, we demonstrated a statistically significant increase of detectable free thiol groups in the sperm mid- and principle piece in isolated rat sperm after stimulation with MIF at concentrations of 25 and 50 ng/ml. Our data suggest that MIF plays an important role in the maturation process of rat sperm during epididymal transit by inducing the elimination of zinc and affecting the amount of free sulphydryl groups in the sperm flagella.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, D-35385 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eickhoff
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baldauf
authors.forename: Hans-Werner
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Koyro
authors.forename: Gunther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wennemuth
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Henkel
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meinhardt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011490:Protein Disulfide Reductase (Glutathione) / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013079:Sperm Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D011490:Protein Disulfide Reductase (Glutathione); D015032:Zinc