title: Immunolocalization of humanin in human sperm and testis.
abstract: We have discovered, by immunocytochemistry and immunoelectronmicroscopy, that humanin (HN) is expressed in human ejaculated sperm and testis. In sperm, the HN immunolabeling pattern depends on sperm morphology; in particular, HN is mainly localized in the midpiece of sperm in semen samples with normal morphology and in cytoplasmic residues and entire tail in those with abnormal morphology. We also found HN in the cytoplasm and nucleus of spermatocytes and spermatids and in experimentally uncoiled chromatin of mature ejaculated sperm. Because it has been established that HN has antiapoptotic properties, it is reasonably hypothesized that HN may play an important role in preventing apoptosis in human sperm and testis. Thus, the examination of the HN localization in normal and abnormal sperm could be proposed as an auxiliary test to better define sperm quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. moretti@unisi.it
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giannerini
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trabalzini
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Collodel
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C427211:humanin