title: Hexavalent chromium affects sperm motility by influencing protein tyrosine phosphorylation in the midpiece of boar spermatozoa.
abstract: Hexavalent chromium reportedly induces reproductive toxicity and further inhibits male fertility in mammals. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism by which hexavalent chromium affects motility signaling in boar spermatozoa in vitro. The results indicated that Cr(VI) decreased sperm motility, protein phosphorylation, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and metabolic enzyme activity starting at 4μmol/mL following incubation for 1.5h. Notably, all parameters were potently inhibited by 10μmol/mL Cr, while supplementation with the dibutyryl-cAMP (dbcAMP) and the 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) prevented the inhibition of protein phosphorylation. Interestingly, high concentrations of Cr (>10μmol/mL) increased the tyrosine phosphorylation of some high-molecular-weight proteins in the principle piece but decreased that in the middle piece associated with an extreme reduction of sperm motility. These results suggest that chromium affects boar sperm motility by impairing tyrosine phosphorylation in the midpiece of sperm by blocking the cAMP/PKA pathway in boar sperm in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Lab of Veterinary Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Linqing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Lab of Veterinary Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Lirui
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Lab of Veterinary Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Jieli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Lab of Veterinary Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Yuhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Lab of Veterinary Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Lab of Veterinary Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China. Electronic address: lixinhong7172@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xinhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002840:Chromates / Q000633:toxicity*; D002857:Chromium / Q000633:toxicity*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D032961:Sperm Midpiece / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013552:Swine; D014443:Tyrosine
chemical_list: D002840:Chromates; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D002857:Chromium; C074702:chromium hexavalent ion; D014443:Tyrosine; C027373:potassium chromate(VI); D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
keywords: Boar; Chromium; Protein phosphorylation; Signal pathway; Sperm capacitation