title: Mass spectrometry profiling of oxysterols in human sperm identifies 25-hydroxycholesterol as a marker of sperm function.
abstract: Cholesterol is a main lipid component of sperm cell that is essential for sperm membrane fluidity, capacitation, and acrosomal reaction. Recent data obtained in bovine sperm showed that sperm capacitation is associated to the formation of oxysterols, oxidized products of cholesterol. The aim of this study was to profile oxysterol content in human semen, and to investigate their potential role in sperm pathophysiology. Among the 12 oxysterols analyzed, 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) resulted the most represented in normozoospermic samples, and its concentration positively correlated with spermatozoa number. We detected Cholesterol 25-hydroxylase, the enzyme responsible for 25-HC production, in human spermatozoa at the level of the neck and the post acrosomal area. Upon incubation with spermatozoa, 25-HC induced calcium and cholesterol transients in connection with the acrosomal reaction. Our results support a role for 25-HC in sperm function.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (CZ, RP, MC, LI), Urology Unit (AP, GP, AC), and Histopathology Unit (VP, NP), Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zerbinati
authors.affiliation: Center for Couple Infertility and Andrology (LC, PS, AS), Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caponecchia
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (CZ, RP, MC, LI), Urology Unit (AP, GP, AC), and Histopathology Unit (VP, NP), Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Puca
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (CZ, RP, MC, LI), Urology Unit (AP, GP, AC), and Histopathology Unit (VP, NP), Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciacciarelli
authors.affiliation: Center for Couple Infertility and Andrology (LC, PS, AS), Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salacone
authors.affiliation: Center for Couple Infertility and Andrology (LC, PS, AS), Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sebastianelli
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (CZ, RP, MC, LI), Urology Unit (AP, GP, AC), and Histopathology Unit (VP, NP), Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (CZ, RP, MC, LI), Urology Unit (AP, GP, AC), and Histopathology Unit (VP, NP), Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palleschi
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (CZ, RP, MC, LI), Urology Unit (AP, GP, AC), and Histopathology Unit (VP, NP), Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petrozza
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (CZ, RP, MC, LI), Urology Unit (AP, GP, AC), and Histopathology Unit (VP, NP), Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Natale
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.affiliation: Pathophysiology of Reproduction and Andrology Unit (RR), S. Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rago
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (CZ, RP, MC, LI), Urology Unit (AP, GP, AC), and Histopathology Unit (VP, NP), Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (CZ, RP, MC, LI), Urology Unit (AP, GP, AC), and Histopathology Unit (VP, NP), Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy. Electronic address: luigi.iuliano@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iuliano
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006888:Hydroxycholesterols / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000235:genetics; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000235:genetics; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006888:Hydroxycholesterols; C007997:25-hydroxycholesterol; D002784:Cholesterol; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases; C507384:cholesterol 25-hydroxylase; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Cholesterol; Male infertility; Oxysterols; Sperm function