[Mechanism of IL-6 on acrosome reaction in human sperm].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the mechanism of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on acrosome reaction (AR) in human sperm.


METHODS
Sperm acrosin activity was measured by BAEE/ADH and AR evaluated by FITC-PSA.


RESULTS
IL-6 could induce the activity of acrosin and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and enhance AR in human sperm. AR was not induced by extracellular Ca2+, and IL-6-induced AR did not occur in Ca2(+)-free medium. Calphostin C, one inhibitor of the protein kinase C (PKC), could block IL-6-induced AR in human sperm.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-6 could induce AR by stimulating the activity of acrosin and SOD in human sperm, which also involves the activation of PKC, and requires the presence of extracellular Ca2+.
Zi
Jie
J
Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Futian Women and Children Health Care Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518026, China. zijie20@sohu.com
Song
Ping
P
D000176:Acrosin / Q000378:metabolism*; D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000187:drug effects*; D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D015850:Interleukin-6; D009281:Naphthalenes; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D000176:Acrosin; C058819:calphostin C; D002118:Calcium