蛋白水解酶抑制剂对人精子穿透去透明带田鼠卵子的抑制作用

本文研究了慈姑和天花粉两种天然的蛋白水解酶抑制剂对人精子穿透去透明带田鼠卵子的影响。结果显示:(1)在人精子获能期1.0×10~(-3)mol/L天花粉抑制剂可使人精子的穿卵率明显下降(P<0.01),而同样浓度的慈姑抑制剂,作用不明显。(2)去透明带田鼠卵子预先用抑制剂处理0.5h,被获能精子的穿卵率和未用抑制剂处理的卵子相似。(3)在获能后的人精子和去透明带田鼠卵子孵育期,两种抑制剂的浓度为0.5或1.0×10~(-3)mol/L时,精子的穿卵率明显下降。(4)在人精子获能期及人精子/去透明带田鼠卵子孵育期,两种抑制剂的浓度为1.0×10~(-3)mol/L时,均使精子的穿卵率下降(P<0.01),而抑制剂的浓度为1.0×10~(-4)mol/L时,作用不明显。(5)抑制剂不影响人精子的活动能力。这样看来,涉及精子穿透卵子的酶体系受到了蛋白酶抑制剂的影响。     

精子膜麦芽凝集素结合糖蛋白抗原某些特性的研究

应用自制的抗牛精子膜麦芽凝集素结合糖蛋白血清,对兔、人、小鼠和仓鼠精子进行了免疫细胞化学定位,结果各种动物精子均呈阳性反应,且以精子顶体区标记最强,与麦芽凝集素亲和细胞化学的标记结果相似。用抗血清处理地鼠精子,再与同种卵子进行体外结合试验,结果精子与卵于透明带的结合受到显著抑制、本实验的结果提示,牛精子膜麦芽凝集素结合糖蛋白抗原具有种间交叉反应性,并可能在精子与卵子透明带结合过程中具有重要作用。     

人及哺乳动物受精与糖蛋白的关系

越来越多的研究表明精卵识别与精子质膜及卵透明带中所含糖蛋白有直接关系。在精卵识别中存在着精子受体和卵透明带（zona pellucida,ZP）配体相互作用的糖类识别机制及精子质膜与卵子质膜的糖蛋白识别。本文主要从结构功能上对与受精相关的精卵表面糖蛋白作一介绍。卵子表面受精相关的糖蛋白主要是ZP1、ZP2、ZP3。与卵子表面糖蛋白相比,精子表面参与精卵识别的糖蛋白种类较多,在SP56、SP95、PH－20、FA－1、甘露糖结合蛋白、顶体素、fertilin蛋白等。     

透明带的精子受体在ZP3的O—糖链上

哺乳动物的受精过程主要包括几个步骤 ,精子与卵子相遇后 ,精子结合到卵透明带上 ,引起精子的顶体反应 ,随后精子穿透透明带与卵细胞融合受精。精卵结合具有种属特异性 ,这种特异性结合是由精子表面的特异蛋白和卵透明带糖蛋白通过受体配体模式进行的。但是 ,卵透明带上的什么物质与精子识别和结合呢 ?近 30年来 ,这一领域的研究很活跃 ,也取得了很大的进展。1 .小鼠透明带糖蛋白ＺＰ3作为精子受体透明带是卵细胞膜外的一层特殊的非细胞结构 ,是精子与卵细胞识别和结合的部位。小鼠和其它研究过的哺乳类的透明带都是由少数几种糖蛋白组成 ,…     

哺乳动物精子中的ZP3结合蛋白研究进展

哺乳动物卵透明带糖蛋白ZP3(zona pellucida3)是介导精卵初级结合、诱发精子发生顶体反应的关键分子。目前已在精子中发现多种ZP3结合蛋白。95kD酪氨酸激酶受体可能通过其酪氨酸激酶活性介导ZP3诱发的顶体反应。β—1,4—半乳糖基转移酶与ZP3的糖基结合后,通过激活下游信号分子诱发顶体反应。精子蛋白sp56可能介导了顶体反应期间顶体基质与ZP之间的相互作用。透明带粘附素(zonadhesin)也是在顶体反应发生之后才与ZP发生相互作用。这些精子蛋白介导的下游信号事件将是下一步研究的热点。     

一种与受精有关的人精子膜蛋白（BS－17）的分离纯化

本文用盐分级分离,ＭｏｎｏＱＦＰＬＣ及ＳＤＳ－聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ）等方法从人精子ＣＨＡＰＳ抽提液中分离纯化出一种与不育病人血清中抗精子抗体发生特异反应的ＢＳ－１７人精子膜蛋白。该蛋白为一糖蛋白,分子量为１７．５５±２．１５ｋＤ,等电点为５．６５,中性己糖含量为１６．６７％。在人精子上主要分布于顶体区域,不同于已有报导的人精子膜蛋白。在体外实验中抗ＢＳ－１７多克隆血清可以显著影响人精子的获能（ｐ＜０．０２５）和对去透明带仓鼠卵的穿透（ｐ＜０．００５）,但不影响人精子运动性及与去透明酯酸带仓鼠卵的结合。小鼠体内被动免疫实验结果证明抗ＢＳ－１７多抗血清具有明显地抑制受精的功能（ｐ＜０．００１）。     

重组猪卵透明带-3α抗原及其抗体的制备

目的:制备重组猪卵透明带-3α(rpZP3α)抗原及其抗体供发展避孕疫苗研究。方法:在2L发酵罐中接种毕赤酵母GS115-pZP3α工程菌,高密度发酵表达rpZP3α蛋白,表达的蛋白经螯合镍离子的亲和柱纯化后,用SDS-PAGE和Western blot进行鉴定,以Quantity One软件对rpZP3α进行定量分析。rpZP3α免疫家兔,间接免疫荧光法检测抗血清对rpZP3α和猪卵透明带的抗体反应。IVF试验体外检测抗rpZP3α抗体对猪、小鼠精卵结合的影响作用。结果:工程菌高密度发酵产物经分离纯化后获得能与抗pZP3抗体反应的46kD成分,平均产量为8mg/L,用其免疫家兔获得抗rpZP3α抗血清,间接免疫荧光法分析显示此抗血清能与猪卵透明带反应,产生亮绿荧光。体外精卵结合试验中,随着兔抗rpZP3α抗血清浓度的加大,其对猪、鼠精卵结合的抑制作用也增强。ELISA结果显示抗rpZP3α抗体与rpZP3α蛋白以及天然pZP3蛋白两种抗原反应的强度和趋势基本一致。结论:通过酵母体系制备的rpZP3α及其抗体具有免疫学活性。     

猪精子中与卵透明带糖蛋白ZP3结合的蛋白质

依次经ＰＳＬ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ亲和层析柱和纤维素ＣＭ－５２离子交换层析柱,从猪精子的ＣＨＡＰＳ抽提液分离得４个蛋白质组分。用固相透明带精蛋白结合试验（ＩＺＰＧＢＡ）检测;表明精子蛋白ＳＰ１和ＳＰ２具有结合透明带糖蛋白ＺＰ３的活性,ＳＰ２并显示凝集血球的活性。精子蛋白ＳＰ１与卵预温育明显抑制精卵结合,抑制活性与加入的精子蛋白的浓度呈正相关。用生物素标记的ＺＰ３和蛋白质印迹技术,证明ＳＰ１中的６８ｋＤ精子蛋白与ＺＰ３结合,提示６８ｋＤ精子蛋白参与精卵结合。     

卵透明带ZP3的研究及其应用

卵透明带蛋白围绕在卵母细胞外,在受精过程中起着重要作用。ZP3蛋白是卵透明带蛋白家族中的重要成员,在功能上,ZP3作为初级精子受体,起始精卵结合和顶体反应。由于ZP3在受精中的重要作用,它成为免疫避孕的有效靶点。ZP3蛋白疫苗和DNA疫苗可以诱导机体产生较强的免疫反应,导致生育降低,同时带来一定程度的副作用。本文重点介绍了ZP3的免疫特性及其应用。     

免疫不育疫苗的研究进展

免疫不育疫苗主要以哺乳动物的精子或卵子蛋白以及在受精和胚胎早期发育过程中发挥重要作用的激素为靶抗原。以激素为抗原的不育疫苗产生的不育效果多为不可逆的,且对机体损伤较大。以精子表面抗原制备的疫苗能够诱导产生精子抗体和不育效果,目前已成为避孕研究的一个热点。哺乳动物卵透明带（zona pellucida,ZP）是覆盖于卵母细胞及着床前受精卵外的一层基质,其在调节精卵特异性结合、诱导获能精子发生顶体反应和阻止多精受精等方面发挥着重要作用。ZP相对分子质量较小且免疫原性强,是免疫不育疫苗理想的靶抗原,抗ZP抗体可阻断精卵结合,故可被用作人类避孕和免疫不育控制有害动物种群数量的靶抗原,但人用ZP疫苗免疫机体后造成的卵巢功能损伤和免疫抑制等问题尚有待明确。     

Structural and functional relationships between mouse and hamster zona pellucida glycoproteins

The hamster egg's extracellular coat, or zona pellucida, consists of three glycoproteins, designated hZP1, hZP2, and hZP3, that exhibit extensive heterogeneity on SDS-PAGE. hZP1 is a relatively minor component of hamster zonae pellucidae, as compared with hZP2 and hZP3. In the presence of reducing agents, hZP1, 200,000 apparent Mr, migrates on SDS-PAGE with an apparent Mr of 103,000. This suggests that hZP1, like mouse ZP1, is composed of two polypeptides held together by intermolecular disulfides. When purified hamster ZP glycoproteins were tested at relatively low concentrations in an in vitro competition assay, employing either hamster or mouse gametes, only hZP3 (56,000 apparent Mr) exhibited sperm receptor activity (i.e., inhibited binding of sperm to eggs). Thus, apparently hZP3 is the hamster counterpart of mouse ZP3, the mouse egg receptor for sperm. Furthermore, at relatively high concentrations, solubilized hamster egg ZP preparations induced both hamster and mouse sperm to undergo the acrosome reaction in vitro. hZP3 is encoded by a relatively abundant ovarian mRNA that is detected by a mouse ZP3 cDNA probe and is the same size, about 1.5 kb, as mRNA encoding the mouse sperm receptor, ZP3 (83,000 apparent Mr). Like mouse ZP2, hZP2 undergoes limited proteolysis following artificial activation of hamster eggs in vitro. Results of in vitro assays employing intact eggs and isolated zonae pellucidae demonstrate that hamster eggs possess a ZP2-proteinase which has a substrate specificity similar to that of the mouse enzyme. These observations are discussed in terms of structural and functional relationships that may exist between hamster and mouse zona pellucida glycoproteins.     

A role for the human sperm glycine receptor/Cl(-) channel in the acrosome reaction initiated by recombinant ZP3.

Previously, we have demonstrated an essential role for the neuronal glycine receptor (GlyR) in the acrosome reaction (AR) of mouse and porcine sperm initiated by the egg zona pellucida (ZP). In the present study, we have demonstrated presence of the GlyR in human sperm by immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis, investigated the potential of a recombinant human ZP3 (rhZP3) preparation as an alternative research tool to solubilized human ZP, and shown that the human sperm GlyR is essential to the human AR initiated by rhZP3. Additionally, we have been able to demonstrate that rhZP3 possesses biological activity, because it is able to rapidly stimulate the AR in capacitated human sperm and its action is blocked by the addition of pertussis toxin. Moreover, spectrofluorometric studies using fura-2-loaded human sperm have shown that rhZP3 triggers a peak-and-plateau rise in intracellular Ca(2+) levels similar to that seen with solubilized mammalian ZP. These results suggest that the actions of rhZP3 and solubilized ZP are elicited via the same signal transduction pathways. Furthermore, incubation of human sperm with an antibody directed against the alpha1 subunit of the human spinal cord GlyR or with 50 nM strychnine caused significant inhibition in the rhZP3-initated AR. Finally, studies using fura-2-loaded human sperm showed that 50 nM strychnine was also able to inhibit the Ca(2+) influx associated with addition of rhZP3. These results further support the view that rhZP3 and the ZP work through the same mechanisms, show that the GlyR is involved in rhZP3-initiated AR, and suggest that the GlyR may also play a role in the early signal transduction cascades associated with ZP-initiated AR in vivo.     

Proteolytic processing of human zona pellucida proteins.

Formation of the egg's extracellular matrix, the zona pellucida, is critical for fertilization and development of growing embryos. Zona pellucida glycoproteins, ZP1, ZP2, and ZP3, are secreted to form an insoluble extracellular matrix surrounding mammalian eggs. All cloned mammalian zona pellucida sequences contain a furin consensus cleavage site, RX(K)/(R)R, upstream of a putative transmembrane domain, which suggests processing by an endoprotease of the furin-proprotein-convertase family. Recombinant expression of human (h) ZP1, ZP2, and ZP3 produces glycoproteins that are secreted and have migration patterns in SDS-PAGE identical to those of native human zona pellucida proteins. Because a C-terminal epitope tag that is present in the cell-associated zona proteins is, however, absent from the secreted zona proteins, secreted recombinant zona pellucida proteins lack their C-terminal regions. Three different strategies were used to explore processing events in the C-terminal region: site-directed mutagenesis of the furin cleavage site, treatment with a competitive inhibitor of all furin family members, and interference with Golgi modifications by Brefeldin A. All treatments altered the SDS-PAGE migration of recombinant hZP3, concordant with cleavage by a furin family member and Golgi glycosylation of secreted hZP3. Furthermore, cleavage of cell-associated hZP3 by exogenous furin converts the migration of cell-associated hZP3 to that of secreted hZP3. To determine whether a similar cleavage pattern exists in zona pellucida proteins that are assembled in the zona matrix, "hZP3 rescue" mouse zonae pellucidae were employed. Immunoblotting experiments revealed that hZP3, assembled and functional in the "hZP3 rescue" mouse zona pellucida, lacks the furin cleavage site, supporting the hypothesis that formation of the zona pellucida matrix involves regulated proteolysis by a member of the furin convertase family.     

Genomic organization and polypeptide primary structure of zona pellucida glycoprotein hZP3, the hamster sperm receptor

During the course of fertilization in mammals, free-swimming sperm bind tightly to receptors located in the egg extracellular coat, or zona pellucida. Recently, the hamster sperm receptor, a 56,000 Mr zona pellucida glycoprotein called hZP3, was identified and partially characterized (C. C. Moller et al., (1990). Dev. Biol. 137, 276-286). Here, we describe genomic cloning of hZP3, certain organizational features of the hZP3 gene, and primary structures of hZP3 mRNA and polypeptide. The findings are compared with reported results of comparable analyses of the mouse sperm receptor, an 83,000 Mr zona pellucida glycoprotein called mZP3. Such comparisons reveal a high degree of conservation of genomic organization and polypeptide structure for the two mammalian sperm receptors, despite the considerable difference in their Mrs. These findings are of interest in view of the extremely restricted expression of the ZP3 gene during development and the important role of ZP3 oligosaccharides in gamete adhesion.     

Transgenic mouse eggs with functional hamster sperm receptors in their zona pellucida.

Sperm receptors are located in the mammalian egg extracellular coat, or zona pellucida. Mouse and hamster sperm receptor glycoproteins, mZP3 (83 x 10(3) M(r)) and hZP3 (56 x 10(3) M(r)), respectively, have very similar polypeptides (44 x 10(3) M(r); 81% identical) that are glycosylated to different extents. Purified mZP3 and hZP3 can bind to mouse sperm, prevent them from binding to eggs and induce them to undergo exocytosis, the acrosome reaction, in vitro. A DNA construct that placed the hZP3 gene under the control of mZP3 gene 5'-flanking sequence was used in this report to produce two mouse lines that harbored the foreign sperm receptor transgene. In both lines, the transgene was expressed only by growing oocytes, at a level comparable to that of the endogenous mZP3 gene, and the developmental pattern of transgene expression resembled that of the mZP3 gene. In addition to mZP3, transgenic mouse oocytes synthesized and secreted a glycoprotein indistinguishable from hZP3, and incorporated both glycoproteins into a mosaic zona pellucida. Importantly, hZP3 purified from such zonae pellucidae exhibited both sperm receptor and acrosome reaction-inducing activities in vitro and, following fertilization of transgenic mouse eggs, was inactivated. These results demonstrate that a biologically active foreign sperm receptor can be synthesized and secreted by transgenic mouse oocytes, assembled into a mosaic zona pellucida, and inactivated following fertilization as part of the secondary block to polyspermy.     

Expression of recombinant human zona pellucida protein 2 and its binding capacity to spermatozoa

The human zona pellucida (ZP) is composed of three major glycoproteins: ZP1, ZP2, and ZP3. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of ZP2 by focusing on the polypeptide structure. We produced in Escherichia coli a recombinant human ZP2 protein (rec-hZP2) corresponding to amino acid sequence 1-206 of the mature protein. The final yield of rec-hZP2 protein was 80 microg/ml Luria Broth medium. After 2-h incubation of human spermatozoa with rec-hZP2 in vitro, an immunofluorescent study indicated that rec-hZP2 bound only to acrosome-reacted spermatozoa. The binding site migrated from the acrosome to the midpiece of the spermatozoa. Rabbit and mouse antisera produced against rec-hZP2 stained native human ZP in the immunofluorescent study, and significantly blocked human sperm binding and penetration into human ZP as compared to control values. The N-terminal polypeptide portion of human ZP2 was shown to contain a binding site for acrosome-reacted spermatozoa and to play an important role in secondary sperm binding and penetration into the ZP.     

Mouse gamete interactions: The zona pellucida is the site of the acrosome reaction leading to fertilization in vitro

The question of whether the acrosome reaction, which leads to fertilization, occurs in intact sperm bound to the zona pellucida of the egg or in intact sperm before contact with the egg, was addressed by assessing the effect of 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) on the two types of acrosome reaction. QNB is a specific inhibitor of the fertilization of zona-intact mouse eggs by mouse sperm. Mouse spermatozoa in suspension underwent acrosome reactions at a low rate, which could be accelerated by addition of 5 μM divalent cation ionophore A23187; the occurrence of such acrosome reactions was not inhibited by QNB. The rate at which acrosome reactions occurred in sperm bound to the zona pellucida of cumulus-free eggs, bound to isolated zonae, or exposed to acid-solubilized zona components, was greatly accelerated relative to that observed in the absence of zonae. These acrosome reactions were strongly inhibited by QNB at concentrations which inhibit the fertilization of zona-intact mouse eggs in vitro. These data suggest that the zona pellucida can induce acrosome reactions in mouse spermatozoa and that these acrosome reactions are the ones which lead to the fertilization of zona-intact eggs. In contrast, the acrosome rection in sperm which are not in contact with the zona is not associated with fertilization of zona-intact eggs.     

重组人卵透明带ZP3蛋白在毕赤酵母中的表达

利用P.pastoris表达人卵透明带ZP3蛋白。设计特定引物从全长hZP3 cDNA上扩增含跨膜区序列的人卵透明带ZP3基因片段,并在N末端接上串联组氨酸编码序列的重组基因序列;扩增片段插入表达载体pPIC9K中;线性化后的重组质粒转入P.pastoris中,用高浓度G418筛选高拷贝菌株,然后甲醇诱导目的蛋白表达。用SDS-PAGE和Western blot分析表达产物。结果发现P.pastoris表达的人ZP3蛋白可以分泌到培养液中,并且可溶性好。纯化前后的重组人ZP3蛋白均能与兔抗猪ZP3蛋白抗体发生交叉反应,证实表达的目的蛋白具有反应原性。     

Sperm binding to the zona pellucida is not sufficient to induce acrosome exocytosis

At fertilization, spermatozoa bind to the zona pellucida (ZP1, ZP2, ZP3) surrounding ovulated mouse eggs, undergo acrosome exocytosis and penetrate the zona matrix before gamete fusion. Following fertilization, ZP2 is proteolytically cleaved and sperm no longer bind to embryos. We assessed Acr3-EGFP sperm binding to wild-type and huZP2 rescue eggs in which human ZP2 replaces mouse ZP2 but remains uncleaved after fertilization. The observed de novo binding of Acr3-EGFP sperm to embryos derived from huZP2 rescue mice supports a ;zona scaffold' model of sperm-egg recognition in which intact ZP2 dictates a three-dimensional structure supportive of sperm binding, independent of fertilization and cortical granule exocytosis. Surprisingly, the acrosomes of the bound sperm remain intact for at least 24 hours in the presence of uncleaved human ZP2 regardless of whether sperm are added before or after fertilization. The persistence of intact acrosomes indicates that sperm binding to the zona pellucida is not sufficient to induce acrosome exocytosis. A filter penetration assay suggests an alternative mechanism in which penetration into the zona matrix initiates a mechanosensory signal transduction necessary to trigger the acrosome reaction.     

Recombinant mouse ZP3 inhibits sperm binding and induces the acrosome reaction.

Mammalian fertilization involves interactions of sperm surface receptors with ligands of the zona pellucida, an extracellular matrix surrounding the ovulated egg. In mouse, the zona is composed of three glycoproteins. One of them, ZP3, participates in primary sperm binding and in the subsequent triggering of the sperm's acrosome reaction. Considerable evidence suggests that carbohydrate determinants of ZP3 are responsible for binding to sperm and may be important for acrosomal exocytosis. A full-length cDNA encoding mouse ZP3 was assembled and cloned into expression vectors that contained either a cytomegalovirus (CMV) or a vaccinia (P11) promoter. Mouse L-929 cells were stably transformed with the pZP3-CMV constructs, and green monkey CV-1 cells were infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus containing ZP3. rZP3 was affinity purified from culture media and detected on Western blots as a single 60- to 70-kDa band, which differed in molecular weight from native ZP3 (mean, 83 kDa). Nevertheless, rZP3 is biologically active. rZP3 decreases sperm-zona binding with a potency equivalent to that of native zona pellucida and, like native ZP3, rZP3 triggers acrosomal exocytosis in capacitated mouse sperm. Thus, rZP3 isolated from both rodent and primate cells appears to contain those carbohydrate and protein structures necessary for ZP3's dual role in fertilization.