title: Evidence of 5-HT components in human sperm: implications for protein tyrosine phosphorylation and the physiology of motility.
abstract: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; C(10)H(12)N(2)O (5-HT)) is produced in the CNS and in some cells of peripheral tissues. In the mammalian male reproductive system, both 5-HT and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) have been described in Leydig cells of the testis and in principal cells of the caput epididymis. In capacitated hamster sperm, it has been shown that 5-HT promotes the acrosomal reaction. The aim of this work was to explore the existence of components of the serotoninergic system and their relevance in human sperm physiology. We used both immunocytochemistry and western blot to detect serotoninergic markers such as 5-HT, TPH1, MAO(A), 5-HT(1B), 5-HT(3), and 5HT(T); HPLC for TPH enzymatic activity; Computer Assisted Semen Analysis assays to measure sperm motility parameters and pharmacological approaches to show the effect of 5-HT in sperm motility and tyrosine phosphorylation was assessed by western blot. We found the presence of serotoninergic markers (5-HT, TPH1, MAO(A), 5-HT(1B), 5-HT(2A), 5-HT(3), 5-HT(T), and TPH enzymatic activity) in human sperm. In addition, we observed a significant increase in tyrosine phosphorylation and changes in sperm motility after 5-HT treatment. In conclusion, our data demonstrate the existence of components of a serotoninergic system in human sperm and support the notion for a functional role of 5-HT in mammalian sperm physiology, which can be modulated pharmacologically.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Auto´noma de Me´xico, Ciudad de Me´xico 04510, Mexico. trejofj@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Trejo
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tapia-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerbón
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manjarrez-Gutiérrez
authors.forename: C Adriana
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Ofir
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Picazo
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012701:Serotonin; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases