title: TRPV4 is endogenously expressed in vertebrate spermatozoa and regulates intracellular calcium in human sperm.
abstract: Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid sub-type 4 (TRPV4) is a non-selective cationic channel involved in regulation of temperature, osmolality and different ligand-dependent Ca(2+)-influx. Recently, we have demonstrated that TRPV4 is conserved in all vertebrates. Now we demonstrate that TRPV4 is endogenously expressed in all vertebrate sperm cells ranging from fish to mammals. In human sperm, TRPV4 is present as N-glycosylated protein and its activation induces Ca(2+)-influx. Its expression and localization differs in swim-up and swim-down cells suggesting that TRPV4 is an important determining factor for sperm motility. We demonstrate that pharmacological activation or inhibition of TRPV4 regulates Ca(2+)-wave propagation from head to tail. Such findings may have wide application in male fertility-infertility, contraception and conservation of endangered species as well.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Science Education and Research, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India.
authors.forename: Ashutosh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Science Education and Research, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India.
authors.forename: Rakesh Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Majhi
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Science Education and Research, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India; Department of Zoology, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Orissa, India.
authors.forename: Nirlipta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Swain
authors.affiliation: Central Avian Research Institute, Bhubaneswar 751003, India.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Giri
authors.affiliation: Kar Clinic and Hospital Pvt. Ltd, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India.
authors.forename: Sujata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Orissa, India.
authors.forename: Luna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Samanta
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Science Education and Research, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. Electronic address: chandan@niser.ac.in.
authors.forename: Chandan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goswami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002025:Bufonidae; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004372:Ducks; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008116:Lizards; D008297:Male; D013045:Species Specificity; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C416986:TRPV4 protein, human; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Calcium-wave; Evolution; Sperm; TRP channels; TRPV4; Vertebrates