Evolution of Ca2+- and cAMP-dependent regulatory mechanisms during ram spermatogenesis

Calmodulin level and cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity of ram germ cells at different stages of spermatogenesis have been determined. Calmodulin levels decrease during maturation. Simultaneously, calmodulin localization changes during cell differentiation. In round, elongating, and elongated spermatids, calmodulin is closely associated with the developing acrosome; in spermatozoa, it becomes present in the postacrosome, the neck region and the tail. Protein kinase activity is relatively low in testicular cells but increases dramatically during epididymal maturation of spermatozoa. A concerted regulation by cAMP and Ca2+ of biochemical events in spermatogenic cells and spermatozoa is suggested.     

Changes in mitochondrial protein composition during testicular differentiation in mouse and bull

The morphology of testicular mitochondria changes markedly during spermatogenesis from a form normally seen in somatic cells to a “germ cell” form in which the matrix is diffuse and vacuolated and finally to a form with a condensed matrix seen in spermatozoa. Colloidal silica gel gradients and high-resolution, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis were used to define the changes in density and polypeptide composition that occur in testicular mitochondria during spermatogenesis. Similar densities were observed for mitochondria isolated from the same bovine or murine tissue, but mitochondria from different tissues usually had different densities. Mitochondria from testis of calf, bull, or sexually mature mouse had densities of 1.06 gm/cm³ while liver mitochondria were more dense, having a density of 1.09 gm/cm³. “Somatic-type” testicular mitochondria from calf and “germ cell-type” mitochondria from sexually mature mouse or bull had similar densities, 1.06 gm/cm³, while the density of mitochondria from ejaculated spermatozoa differed, ρ = 1.08 gm/cm³. Analysis of polypeptide composition of somatic and germ cell mitochondria from testes of prepuberal and sexually mature animals and from highly enriched populations of pachytene primary spermatocytes and round spermatids revealed a staining pattern of mitochondrial proteins that was markedly constant throughout development with most polypeptides being conserved and a few specific spots changing in abundance. Marked differences were detected, however, when mitochondria from ejaculated spermatozoa were compared with those from testis with many minor and major polypeptides missing and several new polypeptides present at high concentration.     

Aging results in differential regulation of DNA repair pathways in pachytene spermatocytes in the Brown Norway rat

The present trend of increasing paternal age is accompanied by concerns for the development of complex multigene diseases (e.g., autism and schizophrenia) in progeny. Recent studies have established strong correlations between male age, increased oxidative stress, decreased sperm quality, and structural aberrations of chromatin and DNA in spermatozoa. We tested the hypothesis that increasing age would result in altered gene expression relating to oxidative stress and DNA damage/repair in germ cells. To test this hypothesis, pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids were isolated from Brown Norway (BN) rats at 4 (young) and 18 (aged) mo of age. Microarray analysis was used to compare gene expression between the groups. The probe sets with significantly altered expression were linked to DNA damage/repair and oxidative stress in pachytene spermatocytes but not in round spermatids. Further analysis of pachytene spermatocytes demonstrated that genes involved in the base excision repair (BER) and nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathways were specifically altered. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed that NER genes were upregulated (>1.5-fold), whereas BER genes were downregulated (>1.5-fold). At the protein level the members of the BER pathway were also altered by up to 2.3-fold; levels of NER proteins remained unchanged. Furthermore, there was an increase in 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) immunoreactivity in testes from aged males and in the number of spermatozoa positive for 8-oxodG. In conclusion, aging is associated with differential regulation of DNA repair pathways with a decrease in the BER pathway leading to deficient repair of 8-oxo-dG lesions in germ cells and spermatozoa.     

Base excision repair is limited by different proteins in male germ cell nuclear extracts prepared from young and old mice

The combined observations of elevated DNA repair gene expression, high uracil-DNA glycosylase-initiated base excision repair, and a low spontaneous mutant frequency for a lacI transgene in spermatogenic cells from young mice suggest that base excision repair activity is high in spermatogenic cell types. Notably, the spontaneous mutant frequency of the lacI transgene is greater in spermatogenic cells obtained from old mice, suggesting that germ line DNA repair activity may decline with age. A paternal age effect in spermatogenic cells is recognized for the human population as well. To determine if male germ cell base excision repair activity changes with age, uracil-DNA glycosylase-initiated base excision repair activity was measured in mixed germ cell (i.e., all spermatogenic cell types in adult testis) nuclear extracts prepared from young, middle-aged, and old mice. Base excision repair activity was also assessed in nuclear extracts from premeiotic, meiotic, and postmeiotic spermatogenic cell types obtained from young mice. Mixed germ cell nuclear extracts exhibited an age-related decrease in base excision repair activity that was restored by addition of apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease. Uracil-DNA glycosylase and DNA ligase were determined to be limiting in mixed germ cell nuclear extracts prepared from young animals. Base excision repair activity was only modestly elevated in pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids relative to other spermatogenic cells. Thus, germ line short-patch base excision repair activity appears to be relatively constant throughout spermatogenesis in young animals, limited by uracil-DNA glycosylase and DNA ligase in young animals, and limited by AP endonuclease in old animals.     

Mammalian DNA ligases

DNA joining enzymes play an essential role in the maintenance of genomic integrity and stability. Three mammalian genes encoding DNA ligases, LIG1, LIG3 and LIG4, have been identified. Since DNA ligase II appears to be derived from DNA ligase III by a proteolytic mechanism, the three LIG genes can account for the four biochemically distinct DNA ligase activities, DNA ligases I, II, III and IV, that have been purified from mammalian cell extracts. It is probable that the specific cellular roles of these enzymes are determined by the proteins with which they interact. The specific involvement of DNA ligase I in DNA replication is mediated by the non-catalytic amino-terminal domain of this enzyme. Furthermore, DNA ligase I participates in DNA base excision repair as a component of a multiprotein complex. Two forms of DNA ligase III are produced by an alternative splicing mechanism. The ubiqitously expressed DNA ligase III-α forms a complex with the DNA single-strand break repair protein XRCC1. In contrast, DNA ligase III-β, which does not interact with XRCC1, is only expressed in male meiotic germ cells, suggesting a role for this isoform in meiotic recombination. At present, there is very little information about the cellular functions of DNA ligase IV.     

The zymogen form of acrosin in testicular,epididymal, and ejaculated spermatozoa from ram

The sperm-specific proteinase acrosin (EC 3.4.21.10) is found in spermatozoa as a zymogen. We have looked for different forms of this zymogen in testicular, epididymal, and ejaculated spermatozoa from ram and have compared total sperm extracts made immediately after cell disruption with extracts made later from isolated sperm heads. We have concluded that the autoactivatable zymogen form, known generally as proacrosin, is the only form of acrosin within intact mature ram spermatozoa; no other zymogen form was detected, although lower levels of proacrosin were found in some samples of testicular spermatozoa. From studies of the activation process, it appears that ram proacrosin is truly autoactivatable; no evidence could be found for the involvement of any auxiliary enzyme. Estimations of the molecular weight of proacrosin using gel chromatography (60,000) and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (51,300) indicated that the zymogen is monomeric. Comparison with the molecular weight of ram acrosin (44,000 or 40,000, using the two respective methods) indicated that a single acrosin molecule is derived from each zymogen molecule. The sperm acrosin inhibitor (molecular weight 11,000 or 8,000) was present in testicular spermatozoa as well as in ejaculated spermatozoa; there was no evidence that it was produced as a result of zymogen activation.     

Epigenetic abnormalities of the mouse paternal zygotic genome associated with microinsemination of round spermatids

Although round spermatid injection can be used to create progeny for males who do not produce mature sperm, the rate of successful embryogenesis after such procedures is significantly lower than that for similar procedures using mature spermatozoa. The mechanisms underlying this difference are unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that, unlike the normal paternal genome, the paternal zygotic genome derived from a round spermatid is highly remethylated before first mitosis after demethylation. Genomes from elongated spermatids exhibited an intermediate level of DNA methylation, between those of round spermatids and mature spermatozoa, suggesting that the male germ cell acquires the ability to maintain its undermethylated state in the paternal zygotic genome during this phase of spermiogenesis. In addition, treatment of zygotes with trichostatin A led to a significant reduction in DNA methylation, specifically in the spermatid-derived paternal genome, except for the pericentromeric regions enriched by trimethylation of Lys9 of histone H3. These data provide insight into epigenetic errors that may be associated with the poor development of embryos generated from immature spermatozoa.     

Differential localization of annexins in ram germ cells: a biochemical and immunocytochemical study.

We used antibodies that specifically bind annexins on Western blots to determine the distribution and abundance of these proteins in ram spermatids and sperm by immunogold electron microscopy. Annexins I and II were found essentially within the entire acrosome of spermatids. During epididymal maturation, they concentrated in the postacrosomal region or the acrosomal equatorial segment, respectively. They were also present in sperm flagellum, on the surface of the coarse fibers and fibrous sheath. These findings show that during ram germ cell maturation, annexins I and II are exported from the spermatid acrosome towards structurally and functionally defined parts of the sperm. Annexins III, IV, and V were not found in ram germ cells. Annexin VI was isolated from testis and sperm. In spermatids, it was found to be associated with endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria but was absent from the acrosome. In sperm, it was confined to the flagellum, the mitochondria, and on the coarse fibers and fibrous sheath. The presence of three annexins, in addition to calmodulin, in functional areas may indicate differential ways for sperm to control and regulate events that are known to be calcium dependent, such as flagellar motility, acrosome reaction, and fertilization.     

Purification of DNA ligases from mouse testis and their behavior during meiosis

Two types of DNA ligase, I and II, have been purified approximately 4,000-fold from mouse testes and 500-fold from nuclei of mouse spermatocytes. DNA ligase I and II consisted of single polypeptides with molecular weights of 95,000 and 65,000, respectively, according to the estimation by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the AMP-binding assay. Ligase activities were higher in premeiotic spermatogonia and spermatocytes than those in liver and bone marrow cells. Moreover, DNA ligase II showed rapid increase during meiotic prophase and a decrease in round spermatids. Since this behavior of DNA ligase II is consistent with that of m-rec and DNA polymerase beta, both of which have been shown to be involved in DNA recombination in meiotic cells, DNA ligase II might be an enzyme which works at the final step of meiotic recombination reaction.     

Immunochemical detection of DNA damage induction and repair at different cellular stages of spermatogenesis of the hamster after in vitro or in vivo exposure to ionizing radiation

An immunochemical method has been used to detect quantitatively DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation in germ cells. With this method, DNA strand breaks as well as lesions converted into breaks in alkaline medium are measured as a function of controlled partial unwinding of the DNA, a time-dependent process starting at each breakage site, followed by the determination of the relative amount of single-stranded regions by use of a single-strand specific monoclonal antibody. With this method the induction and repair of DNA damage in different cellular stages of spermatogenesis (spermatocytes, round and elongated spermatids) of the hamster were investigated. Germ cells were irradiated in vitro with 60Co-gamma-rays, at doses between 0 and 5 Gy. A linear dose-response relationship was observed. Spermatocytes and round spermatids had normal, fast repair of the lesions when compared with the repair of these sites in cultured V79 or CHO cells and human lymphocytes. The elongated spermatids, however, showed hardly any repair. Similar results were obtained after the in vivo gamma-irradiation of hamsters with doses of 0. 4, and 8 Gy and subsequent isolation of germ cells. The damage was still detectable in the elongated spermatids at 24 h after exposure. The results of the experiments show substantial differences in repair capacity between different stages of germ cell development. Because DNA is the major target for mutation induction, this assay may be useful for assessment of the genetic risk of exposure of male germ cells to ionizing radiation, in relation to the stage of development.     

Calcium-dependent actin filament-severing protein scinderin levels and localization in bovine testis, epididymis, and spermatozoa

We assessed the levels and localization of the actin filament-severing protein scinderin, in fetal and adult bovine testes, and in spermatozoa during and following the epididymal transit. We performed immunoblots on seminiferous tubules and interstitial cells isolated by enzymatic digestion, and on bovine chromaffin cells, spermatozoa, aorta, and vena cava. Immunoperoxidase labeling was done on Bouin's perfusion-fixed testes and epididymis tissue sections, and on spermatozoa. In addition, immunofluorescence labeling was done on spermatozoa. Immunoblots showed one 80-kDa band in chromaffin cells, fetal and adult tubules, interstitial cells, spermatozoa, aorta, and vena cava. Scinderin levels were higher in fetal than in adult seminiferous tubules but showed no difference between fetal and adult interstitial cells. Scinderin levels were higher in epididymal than in ejaculated spermatozoa. Scinderin was detected in a region corresponding with the subacrosomal space in the round spermatids and with the acrosome in the elongated spermatids. In epididymal spermatozoa, scinderin was localized to the anterior acrosome and the equatorial segment, but in ejaculated spermatozoa, the protein appeared in the acrosome and the post-equatorial segment of the head. In Sertoli cells, scinderin was detected near the cell surface and within the cytoplasm, where it accumulated near the base in a stage-specific manner. In the epididymis, scinderin was localized next to the surface of the cells; in the tail, it collected near the base of the principal cells. In Sertoli cells and epididymal cells, scinderin may contribute to the regulation of tight junctional permeability and to the release of the elongated spermatids by controlling the state of perijunctional actin. In germ cells, scinderin may assist in the shaping of the developing acrosome and influence the fertility of the spermatozoa.     

Localization of DNase I-hypersensitive regions during rat spermatogenesis: stage-dependent patterns and unique sensitivity of elongating spermatids.

DNase I-hypersensitivity of rat spermatogenic cells was analyzed 1) to establish overall patterns of hypersensitivity in individual cell types, 2) to correlate these patterns with known changes in chromatin organization and function, and 3) to provide a foundation for further analyses examining DNase I-hypersensitivity and the localization of specific genes during spermatogenesis. Parameters for in situ nick translation, using radioactive and fluorescent probes to visualize DNase I-hypersensitive regions (DHR), were established for fixed and sectioned testicular preparations, permeabilized cells, and isolated germ cell nuclei. As anticipated, the pattern of DHR changed in a cell-type specific manner during the course of spermatogenesis, reflective of known stage-dependent alterations in the composition and structure of both the chromatin and the nuclear lamina/matrix as well as changes in gene expression. DHR in preleptotene spermatocytes were primarily peripheral, while in pachytene spermatocytes they were localized along the condensed chromosomes. The pattern of DHR changed from "checkerboard" in steps 7-8 round spermatid nuclei to "lamellar" in steps 10-11 elongating spermatids. In steps 12-13 elongating spermatids. DHR were localized throughout the nuclei or in a graded manner--increasing from anterior to posterior and mirroring the pattern of chromatin condensation. However, unlike the case in other stages, DNA of steps 12-13 elongating spermatids was exquisitely sensitive to nick translation even in the absence of exogenous DNase I. In contrast to the labeling of earlier stages, steps 16-19 spermatids and mature spermatozoa did not demonstrate DNase I-hypersensitivity under any conditions employed. A variety of agents that interact with topoisomerase II and DNA (teniposide, novobiocin, ethidium bromide, and adenosine triphosphate) were tested to determine the basis for the unique sensitivity to nick translation of steps 12-13 elongating spermatids. None of the agents tested, however, affected this unique labeling. The sensitivity of steps 12-13 elongating spermatids to nick translation in the absence of exogenous nuclease indicators the presence of endogenous nicks, which may relieve torsional stress and aid rearrangement as the chromatin is packaged into a form characteristic of the mature spermatozoon.