title: An epididymis-specific carboxyl esterase CES5A is required for sperm capacitation and male fertility in the rat.
abstract: Despite the fact that the phenomenon of capacitation was discovered over half century ago and much progress has been made in identifying sperm events involved in capacitation, few specific molecules of epididymal origin have been identified as being directly involved in this process in vivo . Previously, our group cloned and characterized a carboxyl esterase gene Ces5a in the rat epididymis. The CES5A protein is mainly expressed in the corpus and cauda epididymidis and secreted into the corresponding lumens. Here, we report the function of CES5A in sperm maturation. By local injection of Lentivirus -mediated siRNA in the CES5A -expressing region of the rat epididymis, Ces5a -knockdown animal models were created. These animals exhibited an inhibited sperm capacitation and a reduction in male fertility. These results suggest that CES5A plays an important role in sperm maturation and male fertility.
authors.forename: Yan-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Ru
authors.forename: Hai-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Zi-Mei
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Chuan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Lian
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D043182:Carboxylesterase / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D043182:Carboxylesterase