title: The galectin-1-glycan axis controls sperm fertilizing capacity by regulating sperm motility and membrane hyperpolarization.
abstract: Lectin-glycan recognition systems play central roles in many physiologic and pathologic processes. We identified a role for galectin-1 (Gal-1), a highly conserved glycan-binding protein, in the control of sperm function. We found that Gal-1 is expressed in the epididymis and associates with sperm during epididymal maturation. Exposure of sperm to Gal-1 resulted in glycan-dependent modulation of the acrosome reaction (AR), a key event in the fertilization process. Gal-1-deficient (Lgals1(-/-)) mice revealed the essential contribution of this lectin for full sperm fertilizing ability both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, Lgals1(-/-) sperm exhibited defects in their ability to develop hyperactivation, a vigorous motility required for penetration of the egg vestments. Moreover, Lgals1(-/-) sperm showed a decreased ability to control cell volume and to undergo progesterone-induced AR, phenotypes that were rescued by exposure of the cells to recombinant Gal-1. Interestingly, the AR defect was associated with a deficiency in sperm membrane potential hyperpolarization. Our study highlights the relevance of the Gal-1-glycan axis in sperm function with critical implications in mammalian reproductive biology.
authors.affiliation: *Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vasen
authors.affiliation: *Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Maria Agustina
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Battistone
authors.affiliation: *Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Diego O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Croci
authors.affiliation: *Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Nicolás G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Brukman
authors.affiliation: *Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weigel Muñoz
authors.affiliation: *Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Stupirski
authors.affiliation: *Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gabriel A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Rabinovich
authors.affiliation: *Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina pcuasnicu@ibyme.conicet.gov.ar.
authors.forename: Patricia S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Cuasnicú
mesh_terms: D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000187:drug effects; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1; D011134:Polysaccharides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011374:Progesterone
keywords: acrosome reaction; capacitation; fertilization; glycosylation