title: Evidence for existence of cAMP-Epac signaling in the heads of mouse epididymal spermatozoa.
abstract: Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) signaling regulates the expression of fertilizing ability in mammalian spermatozoa. Many articles indicate that this signaling is mediated mainly via protein kinase A. Recently, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for small G protein Rap1 (an exchange protein directly activated by cAMP: Epac) was discovered as a new mediator of cAMP signaling in somatic cells. The aim of this study was to reveal the existence of cAMP-Epac signaling in mouse spermatozoa. Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization suggested that Epac1 and Epac2 mRNAs were transcribed in the seminiferous epithelia of the testis. This shows that expression of Epac mRNAs is present in mouse testicular germ cells. Indirect immunofluorescence with specific polyclonal antibodies suggested possible co-localization of Epac1 and Rap1 proteins in the heads of epididymal spermatozoa. Moreover, treatment of epididymal spermatozoa with an Epac-specific cAMP analog, 8-pMeOPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP, induced activation of Rap1, as revealed with a commercial kit for pull-down assay. These results indicate the existence of cAMP-Epac signaling in the heads of mouse epididymal spermatozoa.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kobe University, Japan.
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amano
authors.forename: Jibak
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Namiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harayama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000378:metabolism*; D020827:rap1 GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C482601:Epac protein, mouse; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C486707:Rapgef4 protein, mouse; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D020827:rap1 GTP-Binding Proteins