Vasopressin effectively suppresses male fertility.
Arginine vasopressin (VP) is neurohypophysial hormone has been implicated in stimulating contractile activity of the male reproductive tract in the testis. Higher levels of VP decrease sperm count and motility. However, very little is known about the involvement of VP in controlling mammalian reproductive process. The goal of this study was to confirm that effect of VP receptor (AVPR2) on sperm function in capacitation condition. Deamino [Cys 1, D-ArgS] vasopressin (dDAVP), an AVPR2 agonist that operates only on AVPR2, was used. Also, Mouse spermatozoa were incubated with various concentrations of dDAVP (10(-11)-10(-5) M) and sperm motility, capacitation status, Protein Kinase A activity (PKA), tyrosine phosphorylation, fertilization, and embryo development were assessed using computer-assisted sperm analysis, Combined Hoechst 33258/chlortetracycline fluorescence, Western blotting, and in vitro fertilization, respectively. AVPR2 was placed on the acrosome region and mid-piece in cauda epididymal spermatozoa, but the caput epididymal spermatozoa was mid-piece only. The high dDAVP treatment (10(-8) and 10(-5) M) significantly decreased sperm motility, intracellular pH and PKA substrates (approximately 55 and 22 kDa) and increased Ca(2+) concentration. The highest concentration treatment significantly decreased PKA substrate (approximately 23 kDa) and tyrosine phosphorylation (approximately 30 kDa). VP detrimentally affected capacitation, acrosome reaction, and embryo development. Treatment with the lowest concentration (10(-11) M) was not significantly different. Our data have shown that VP stimulates ion transport across sperm membrane through interactions with AVPR2. VP has a detrimental effect in sperm function, fertilization, and embryonic development, suggesting its critical role in the acquisition of fertilizing ability of mouse spermatozoa. These research findings will enable further study to determine molecular mechanism associated with fertility in capacitation and fertilization. It is also an important pivotal precondition to the progress of diagnostic test to identify infertility and to apply male contraception.
Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, School of Bioresource & Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
Woo-Sung
WS
Kwon
Yoo-Jin
YJ
Park
Yun-Hee
YH
Kim
Young-Ah
YA
You
In Cheul
IC
Kim
Myung-Geol
MG
Pang
D000177:Acrosome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003894:Deamino Arginine Vasopressin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D014443:Tyrosine; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D003894:Deamino Arginine Vasopressin; D002118:Calcium