title: α-L-fucosidase enhances capacitation-associated events in porcine spermatozoa.
abstract: The activity of α-L-fucosidase in oviductal fluid increases around the time of ovulation. α-L-fucosidase is also associated with the spermatozoal plasma membrane and its substrate, fucose, has been identified in the zona pellucida (ZP) and on the spermatozoal surface, suggesting a role in fertilisation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of exogenous α-L-fucosidase during fertilisation. Porcine oocytes were incubated with fucosidase and later subjected to in vitro fertilisation (IVF). No effect on the percentage of oocytes fertilised was observed, although there was a slight decrease in spermatozoa-ZP binding. Fucosidase was then added to IVF medium, and spermatozoa and oocytes were co-incubated for 15 min. A significant increase in spermatozoa-ZP binding and penetration was observed, suggesting a role of the enzyme in the fertilisation ability of spermatozoa. In addition, fluorescence intensity and the patterns of spermatozoa membrane-associated α-L-fucosidase distribution, as assessed by indirect immunofluorescence, were not affected by the presence or absence of exogenous enzyme, suggesting an independent role for the exogenous and spermatozoa-associated enzymes. Addition of exogenous α-L-fucosidase increased the spermatozoal intracellular ionised calcium concentration and tyrosine phosphorylation, suggesting a role in promoting capacitation and, at the same time, protecting spermatozoa from a premature acrosome reaction. Thus, α-L-fucosidase enhances capacitation-associated events in porcine spermatozoa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Murcia, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research (Campus Mare Nostrum) and Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia 30100, Spain.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romero-Aguirregomezcorta
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Murcia, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research (Campus Mare Nostrum) and Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia 30100, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matás
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Murcia, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research (Campus Mare Nostrum) and Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia 30100, Spain. Electronic address: pcoy@um.es.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology*; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D015044:Zona Pellucida; D005644:alpha-L-Fucosidase / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005644:alpha-L-Fucosidase
keywords: Fertilisation; Gamete biology; Oviduct; Porcine; Spermatozoa; α-L-fucosidase