title: Effect of capacitation on the endocannabinoid system of mouse sperm.
abstract: The presence of the elements of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in sperm isolated from several species (from invertebrates to mammals, humans included) has supported the "evolutionary theory" that proposes endocannabinoids as check points in reproductive events like capacitation. In this study, we characterized the ECS elements at the mRNA, protein and functional levels in mouse sperm before and after capacitation. We found that the latter process increases the endogenous levels of the two major endocannabinoids (anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol), through a decreased degradation and increased biosynthesis, respectively. Additionally, we found that the binding activity of cannabinoid receptors was not affected by sperm capacitation, whereas that of vanilloid receptor was reduced. Overall, our data demonstrate that mouse sperm have a fully functional ECS, and that capacitation alters the endogenous tone of the major endocannabinoids through distinct mechanisms.
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Teramo, Teramo 64100, Italy.
authors: Giuseppina
authors: G
authors: Catanzaro
authors: Natalia
authors: N
authors: Battista
authors: Gianna
authors: G
authors: Rossi
authors: Monia
authors: M
authors: Di Tommaso
authors: Mariangela
authors: M
authors: Pucci
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Pirazzi
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Cecconi
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Maccarrone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005989:Glycerides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000378:metabolism; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005989:Glycerides; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C493921:TRPV1 protein, mouse; C094503:glyceryl 2-arachidonate; D002784:Cholesterol; C078814:anandamide