Effect of temperature on the fluidity of boar sperm membranes

Fluidity was used to assess changes in molecular organization of boar spermatozoa plasma membranes from (1) the head and (2) the rest of the sperm body and acrosome as a consequence of temperature. The initial fluidity of the head membranes at 25 degrees C was less than that of the sperm body membranes (P less than 0.05). When held at 25 degrees C, the fluidity of the head membranes decreased for 105 +/- 8 min and then stabilized for the remainder of the 160-min incubation. Calcium (10 mM) caused a significantly greater decrease in fluidity. The fluidity of the sperm body membranes increased slightly over time in the absence of Ca2+, but decreased significantly with Ca2+. Cooling from 25 to 5 degrees C and subsequent heating to 40 degrees C (0.4 degrees C/min) caused marked alterations in the fluidity of each membrane. Cooling the head membranes prevented the fluidity increase seen at 25 degrees C, while reheating caused a dramatic decrease in fluidity. Fluidity of the head membranes was now unaffected by Ca2+. Lipid phase transitions, indicated by sharp break points in data curves, were detected at the onset of reheating (7 +/- 3 C) and at 23 +/- 4 degrees C during reheating. Fluidity of the sperm body membranes decreased slightly and in a linear fashion with Ca2+. Without Ca2+, the sperm body membranes showed an additional lipid phase shift at 31 +/- 5 degrees C, which led to a rapid fall in fluidity. These results suggest that the fluidity, and therefore the molecular structure, of sperm head and body membranes differ.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cold-induced ultrastructural changes in bull and boar sperm plasma membranes

The effect of low temperatures on the ultrastructure of the plasma membrane of bull and boar spermatozoa was investigated. Cold-induced changes in the organization of sperm plasma membrane components were demonstrated by the use of fast-freezing combined with freeze-fracture electron microscopy. This preparation technique ensures fixation without artifacts. At 38 degrees C bull and boar spermatozoa exhibited a random distribution of intramembranous particles over the plasma membrane of both head and tail. Exposure to 0 degree C resulted in redistribution of the intramembranous particles: on the head and principal piece of bull spermatozoa and on the principal piece of boar spermatozoa, particle-free areas were observed, whereas on the boar sperm head, particle aggregates were present. The original particle distribution was restored upon rewarming of bull and boar spermatozoa to 38 degrees C, as well as after freezing and thawing of bull spermatozoa. Dilution of bull and boar semen into Tris-dilution buffer and Beltsville Thaw Solution-dilution buffer, respectively, could not prevent cold-induced redistribution of intramembranous particles. The observed particle reorganization upon cooling was interpreted as the result of lateral phase separation in the plasma membrane. Species-dependent differences in cold-induced ultrastructural changes were considered to be determined by lipid composition and asymmetry of the plasma membrane, and might be related to differences in cold resistance between species.     

Identification of calcium conducting channels in isolated boar sperm plasma membranes

Ion channel recordings were obtained from liposomes containing purified boar sperm plasma membrane proteins using a tip-dip method. Liposomes prepared in HEPES-TRIS and clamped by electrodes containing Ba-HEPES displayed channel activity that was partially inhibited by verapamil or nitrendipine and completely inhibited by La3+. Reversal of current at pipette negative voltages was observed only when Ba2+ ions were also present in the bath solution. These data indicate that channels capable of carrying calcium currents are prominent components of the plasma membrane of mammalian sperm.     

Some properties of acid and alkaline phosphates from boar sperm plasma membranes

Boar sperm plasma membranes were purified by differential and sucrose density equilibrium centrifugation and were found to yield a single band at a density of 1.14 g/cm3. Both alkaline and acid phosphatase activities were enriched in this fraction. The alkaline phosphatase activity was optimal in 100 mM tris (hydroxymethyl) methylamine (Tris)-NaHCO3 at pH 9.9 with 0.05% Triton X-100 and 1 mM MgCl2. This activity was inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), cadmium, zinc or heating at 60 degrees C for 30 min. Also, L-homoarginine caused approximately 70% inhibition and L-phenylalanine or L-leucine caused about 10 to 20% inhibition. Acid phosphatase activity was optimal in 100 mM sodium acetate at pH 5.1 with 0.05% Triton. Sodium dodecyl sulfate, potassium fluoride (KF) or sulfhydryl reagents inhibited the activity, while EDTA or heating at 60 degrees C had no effect. These data for enzymes from boar sperm plasma membranes can be used for future work on the quantitation of the enzymes, distinguishing these two phosphatases from other phosphohydrolases, purification of the enzymes and for comparison to phosphatases in other tissues.     

Changes in the lipid content of boar sperm plasma membranes during epididymal maturation

Plasma membranes of boar sperm from caput, corpus and cauda of the epididymis were purified by differential- and sucrose-density equilibrium centrifugation and were found to yield a single band at a density of 1.13 g/cm3. This fraction was enriched in acid and alkaline phosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activities, whereas it contained minimal amounts of hyaluronidase and N-acetylglucosaminidase and no succinic acid dehydrogenase activities. The plasma membrane of caput, corpus and cauda sperm had the same phospholipid/protein and cholesterol/phospholipid ratios but yielded different amounts of protein and individual lipid classes. Several changes in the plasma membrane were observed during transit of sperm through the epididymis. Within the phospholipid class a decrease in the percentage of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol was detected accompanied by an increase in amount of phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin and polyphosphoinositides. In the other lipid classes there was a decrease in the amount of free fatty acid and the major glycolipid. The amount of cholesterol decreased, while the amount of desmosterol and cholesterol sulfate increased. There was an increase in the amount of diacylglycerol. In addition, the changes in the fatty acid composition of the total membrane lipid and each phospholipid were determined. The above changes in the lipid composition of the plasma membrane during epididymal maturation may help to explain the decreased resistance to cold shock and changes in membrane fluidity of sperm during transit in the epididymis.     

Ion channels in boar sperm plasma membranes: characterization of a cation selective channel.

Plasma membranes isolated from cauda epididymal and ejaculated boar sperm were inserted into planar lipid bilayers and examined for the presence of ion channels. Channel fusion was frequently observed; the most prominent was a nonselective cation channel which conducted K, Na, Cs, Ca, and Ba. Channel opening did not show a strict dependence on voltage but was partially blocked by verapamil, nitrendipine, and ruthenium red. A channel with these characteristics was observed when plasma membranes were isolated by high-pressure nitrogen cavitation (650 psi, 78% sperm head plasma membranes) or at very low nitrogen pressures (50 psi, 90% sperm head plasma membranes), suggesting that this channel may be present in the plasma membrane overlying the sperm head.     

Modulation of the lipid composition of boar sperm plasma membranes during an acrosome reaction in vitro

An in vitro acrosome-like reaction was induced in spermatozoa from the boar cauda epididymis by incubation in Tyrode's solution containing 1 mg/ml fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin. Plasma membranes were isolated from the spermatozoa at different times during the incubation and analyzed for their lipid composition. The total lipid, phospholipid, and glycolipid content of the membranes did not change during the acrosome-like reaction, whereas the amount of diacylglycerols and free fatty acids increased. Within the phospholipid class, a decrease of the inositol phospholipid and and sphingomyelin content was observed, whereas the other phospholipids of the plasma membranes did not decrease significantly after 2 h of incubation. Changes in the sterol composition of the membranes were also observed. The onset of the lipid changes was correlated with the uptake of extracellular calcium by the spermatozoa. These results for the lipid changes in isolated sperm plasma membranes during an in vitro acrosome reaction provide the first direct evidence that a modulation of the plasma membrane lipid composition is involved in an acrosome-like reaction of mammalian spermatozoa.     

Accessory sperm: a biomonitor of boar sperm fertilization capacity

The number of accessory sperm found in the zona pellucida of porcine embryos was correlated to their individual quality and to the embryo quality range found within a single sow. Our goal was to determine whether accessory sperm counts provide semen evaluation with additional, useful information. Accessory sperm count was highest when only normal embryos were found in a given sow and diminished if oocytes or degenerated embryos were present (P<0.01). Within a given sow, normal embryos had higher (P<0.05) accessory sperm counts than degenerated embryos, although not when oocytes were also present. Fertilization capacity of sperm is optimal when only normal embryos are found in a given sow; this capacity is indicated by high accessory sperm counts. A decrease in fertilization capacity is reflected in diminishing accessory sperm counts. The boar had a significant effect (P<0.01) on accessory sperm count, but not on the percentage of normal embryos; this suggests that accessory sperm may be more sensitive indicators of the fertilization capacity of sperm than the percentage of normal embryos. We conclude that accessory sperm count can be used for the detection of compensable defects in sperm and is a valid parameter for assessing sperm fertilization capacity.     

Dynamics of heparin-binding proteins on boar sperm

The presence, topology and dynamics of heparin-binding proteins (HBP) on boar sperm were evaluated. HBP distribution was analyzed by subcellular parting, using biotinylated heparin followed by colorimetric detection. HBP were detected as peripherical and integral periacrosomal membrane proteins. Indirect fluorescence microscopy of sperm incubated with biotinylated heparin was used to evidence heparin binding on sperm at different physiological stages. Two different fluorescent patterns (A and B) were found, which probably correspond to non-capacitated and capacitated sperm as assessed by the ability to undergo acrosome reaction with calcium ionophore A23187 and by the increase of p32 phosphorylated protein. In A pattern, corresponding to untreated sperm, fluorescence located mostly on the post-acrosomal region; in B pattern, corresponding to incubated sperm, on the acrosomal region. Upon incubation under capacitating conditions (TALP), sperm having the B pattern was augmented compared with non-incubated sperm (p < 0.001). Differences in the HBP patterns (p < 0.0001) were observed in sperm incubated under non-capacitating conditions in relation to sperm incubated in TALP, indicating that the modification of HBP patterns is probably related to capacitation. No difference was observed when untreated sperm were permeabilized prior to staining, suggesting that HBP are present on the sperm surface. The effect of heparin on capacitation dependent protein tyrosine phosphorylation was also analyzed, finding a decrease in p32 phosphorylation in the presence of heparin. This suggests that the capacitation enhancement mediated by this glycosaminoglycan involves an alternative intracellular pathway. The finding that heparin binds to sperm differently according to its physiological state, is a new evidence of the remodelling of sperm membrane surface upon capacitation and may provide a useful and relatively simple method to evaluate in vitro modification of boar sperm physiological state.     

Effects of cold shock and phospholipase A2 on intact boar spermatozoa and sperm head plasma membranes

Head plasma membranes (HPM) isolated from cryopreserved boar spermatozoa show an excessive fluidization, which might be involved in the loss of fertility. The current study assessed the ability of cold shock (5 degrees C) and phospholipase A2 (PA2) to duplicate these effects on membrane structure and to affect 45Ca2+ uptake and gross morphological characteristics of whole, fresh boar-sperm. The HPM from cold-shocked sperm showed a significantly greater rate of fluidization over time than did HPM from control sperm. Addition of PA2 (bee or snake venom, 0.1 or 10.0 ng/ml) to HPM from control sperm caused fluidization similar to cold shocking, but to a lesser degree (P less than 0.05). Cold-shocked intact sperm exhibited severe acrosomal disruption, loss of motility, and increased 45Ca2+ uptake relative to control sperm. Addition of PA2 (bee or snake venom, 0.1, 1.0., 10.0, and 1,000 ng/ml) to control sperm had no effect on gross morphology or motility while maintaining or increasing sperm extrusion of 45Ca2+. Therefore, although PA2 can, to some extent, duplicate the effects of cold shock on HPM molecular organization, its lipid hydrolytic action is insufficient to cause all the gross disruptions of severe thermal shock. Both PA2 and cold shock disrupted HPM structure, but only cold shock increased 45Ca2+ uptake, suggesting that cold shock may be increasing 45Ca2+ uptake in areas other than the head. Cold shock disrupts sperm on three levels; membrane molecular organization, intracellular Ca2+ regulation, and gross morphology/motility.     

Zona pellucida-induced acrosome reaction in boar sperm

Induction of the acrosome reaction in boar sperm by the zona pellucida (ZP) was investigated. A modified cytochemical staining method for measuring the acrosome reaction in boar sperm gave equivalent results to those obtained with transmission electron microscopy. Isolated heat-solubilized ZP effectively induced the acrosome reaction in boar sperm at a concentration of 25 micrograms/ml. Electrophoretically purified ZP components were also tested for acrosome reaction-inducing activity; both the 55,000 and 90,000 components of the ZP were effective. The carbohydrate moiety of the 55,000 component was necessary for activity because the polypeptides derived by chemical deglycosylation of the two glycoproteins did not induce the acrosome reaction.     

Partial purification of a boar sperm membrane protein inducing sperm agglutinating antibody

For the development of immunological contraception, attention is being concentrated on the possibility of using a sperm membrane antigen. Boar sperm membrane was extracted with triton-X 100 and fractionated by Sephadex G-150 column chromatography. The glycosylated and nonglycosylated portions of protein peaks from the gel filtration were obtained by fractionating on concanavalin A-Sepharose and eluting the bound protein with 0.3 M methyl mannoside. A glycosylated fraction was found to induce sperm agglutinating antibodies in rabbit. The partially purified protein has a molecular weight of 30 kilodaltons, as determined by sodium dodecyl polyaccyrlamide gel electrophoresis. Further work is planned on the histochemical determination of the origin of this protein and species cross-activity of the antibody.     

Cryopreservation of boar sperm induces differential microRNAs expression

Lower conception rates and litter sizes limit the wide use of artificial insemination with frozen-thawed boar sperm, due to a lack of understanding of the mechanisms that cause cryodamage and cryoinjury to sperm during cryopreservation. CryoMiRs, a family of freeze-related microRNAs (miRNAs), are associated with freeze tolerance, and regulate metabolism in mammalian hibernators and insects. Thus, we speculate that miRNAs maybe involved in the regulation of the freeze-thaw process and may affect boar sperm function. In this study, we studied the differential expression of 46 miRNAs that have roles in spermatogenesis, sperm maturation, and sperm quality in response to cryopreservation (with or without 3% glycerol). The results indicated that, in response to cryopreservation with 3% glycerol, 14 miRNAs were significantly up-regulated, but only two miRNAs (miR-22 and miR-450b-5p) were significantly down-regulated, relative to fresh sperm. Preservation with 3% glycerol caused up-regulation of 17 miRNAs, but only caused down-regulation of one miRNA (miR-24), relative to sperm cryopreserved without glycerol. Functional annotations of these differentially expressed miRNAs indicated that these miRNAs and their targets are mainly associated with metabolic and cellular processes. Therefore, our findings show that cryopreservation results in changes in miRNA expression, and suggest that the anti-freeze mechanisms of boar sperm need to be studied further.     

Immunoelectronmicroscopic localization of actin in ionophore-treated boar sperm

Actin in ionophore-A23187 treated boar sperm has been localized by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoelectronmicroscopy (IEM), using an anti-actin monoclonal antibody. By IEM, after en bloc staining technique and treatment with 15 nm colloidal gold-IgM complex, actin was found associated with the plasma membrane (PM) and the outer acrosomal membrane vesicles and under the PM of the equatorial segment.     

Solubilization and enrichment of boar sperm membrane proteins

Boar sperm membranes are rather resistent to the solubilizing effect of some detergents. Deoxycholate, an ionic detergent, was efficient in solubilizing sperm proteins but some nonionic detergents like Triton X-100 displayed relatively poor capacity in rendering membrane proteins soluble. This may be due to sperm proteins being attached to submembraneous structures through bonds involving divalent cations, since mixtures of Triton X-100 and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) were almost as efficient as deoxycholate in solubilizing membrane proteins. Since intact spermatozoa were directly treated with detergents the solubilized proteins comprised a mixture of intracellular and membrane components. To enrich for membrane proteins, affinity chromatography on columns containing different lectins was carried out. SDS polyacryiamide gel electrophoresis of sperm glycoproteins desorbed from the various lectin columns demonstrated that each lectin bound a unique set of components although most glycoproteins were recovered from two or more columns. Columns containing Lens culinaris hemagglutinin yielded more sperm glycoproteins than any of the other lectin columns examined. The predominant amount of the sperm proteins recovered from the Lens culinaris lectin column was membrane derived, as the majority of the proteins were integrated into liposomes. It is concluded that sperm membrane proteins are efficiently solubilized by detergent in the presence of a chelator and that most of the membrane glycoproteins can easily be enriched by affinity chromatography on a lectin column. Proteins obtained in this way should serve as excellent starting material for the isolation of individual sperm membrane proteins.     

Effect of glycerol concentration on frozen boar sperm

In experiment 1, Beltsville F3 extender containing 0 to 7% glycerol was added to boar sperm. Glycerol was either retained during freezing or removed by centrifugation before freezing. When glycerol was retained, there was a significant negative linear relationship between the percentage of sperm acrosomes with a normal apical ridge (NAR) and the percentage of glycerol. When glycerol was removed before freezing, the percentage of NAR acrosomes did not differ among samples. The percentage of motile sperm and the percentage of glycerol in the original extender were linearly related regardless of whether glycerol was retained or removed before freezing.In experiment 2, four concentrations of glycerol, three cooling times and two dilution rates were compared when semen was frozen in Beltsville F5 extender. The post-thaw results for percentages of NAR acrosomes and sperm motility were optimum with 1% glycerol and a 1:4 dilution rate. Cooling time had a minor effect on the freezing results.In experiment 3, the competitive fertilizing capacity of boar sperm frozen with 1% glycerol was compared with that frozen without glycerol. The number of ova fertilized by sperm frozen with 0 or 1% glycerol, 52 and 72 ova, respectively, were nearing statistical difference from a 50:50 ratio (P<.07). These results indicated that under the conditions of this study glycerol was of some positive value as a cryoprotectant for boar sperm.     

Lipid composition and thermotropic phase behavior of boar, bull, stallion, and rooster sperm membranes.

Composition and thermotropic phase behavior of sperm membrane lipids from species ranging in sensitivity to cold shock were determined. Lipids from whole sperm and sperm plasma membrane were fractionated into neutral lipid, glycolipid, and phospholipid fractions. Compositional analyses were completed for free sterols, phospholipids and phospholipid-bound fatty acids. Phase transition temperatures were determined for phospholipid and glycolipid fractions using differential scanning calorimetry. Cholesterol was the major sterol in sperm lipids of all species. Cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratios were 0.26, 0.30, 0.36, and 0.45 for sperm plasma membrane of the boar, rooster, stallion, and bull, respectively. Choline and ethanolamine phosphoglycerides and sphingomyelin were the major phospholipid classes in sperm and their proportions differed across species. Phospholipid-bound fatty acyl compositions of choline and ethanolamine phosphoglycerides were characterized by a high proportion of docosapentanoyl and docosahexanoyl groups in mammalian sperm and shorter, more saturated groups in rooster sperm. Glycolipids represented less than 10% of total polar lipids for all species. Thin-layer chromatographic analysis indicated that the major glycolipid component of rooster sperm was different from that of mammalian sperm. Peak phase transition temperatures (Tm) for sperm membrane phospholipids were 24.0, 25.4, 20.7 and 24.5, for the boar, stallion, and rooster, respectively. Corresponding Tm's for glycolipids were 36.2, 42.8, and 33.4 with no exotherm for rooster sperm glycolipids. These results demonstrate a difference in both composition and thermotropic phase behavior of glycolipids between rooster and mammalian sperm which may be related to the greater tolerance of rooster sperm to rapid cooling.     

Diffusion barriers in ram and boar sperm plasma membranes: directionality of lipid diffusion across the posterior ring

The plasma membrane of mammalian spermatozoa, like that of other differentiated cells, is compartmentalized into discrete regions or domains that are biochemically and functionally distinct from one another. Physical structures within the membrane, such as the posterior ring at the juncture of the sperm head and tail, have long been thought to act as diffusion barriers to help segregate important molecules required for fertilization within specific domains and to regulate migration of molecules between domains. In this investigation, we used a quantitative photobleaching technique (video-FRAP) to assess the efficacy of the posterior ring as a barrier to exchange of lipids between the postacrosomal and midpiece plasma membranes. A lipid reporter probe (1,1'-diduodecyl-3,3,3', 3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine; DiIC(12)) was incorporated into the plasma membrane of live ram and boar spermatozoa, and the directionality of its diffusion across the posterior ring was measured by line-profile analysis. Results showed that DiIC(12) was able to traverse the posterior ring from the direction of the postacrosomal plasma membrane and to diffuse onto the midpiece plasma membrane. These results suggest that the posterior ring is not an immutable barrier to lipid exchange in mature spermatozoa and that there are other mechanisms for maintaining in-plane lipid asymmetry, such as differential phase behavior and interaction with the submembranous cytoskeleton.     

Freezability prediction of boar ejaculates assessed by functional sperm parameters and sperm proteins

The objective of this work was to look for useful predictive indicators of the potentially “good” or “poor” ability of a boar ejaculate to sustain cryopreservation by assessing both the conventional sperm quality parameters (Study 1) and the immunolabeling of three proteins involved in the physiology of the sperm cell: GLUT3, HSP90AA1 and Cu/ZnSOD (Study 2). Study 1 was carried out in three different steps during the cryopreservation process of the sperm-rich fraction of 29 Piétrain boar ejaculates (17 °C, 5 °C, and 240 min postthaw). These ejaculates were clustered based on sperm quality parameters analyzed at 240 min postthaw, obtaining 16 good freezability ejaculates (GFEs) and 13 poor freezability ejaculates (PFEs). The sperm linearity (LIN) and the straightforward (STR) indexes at 5 °C showed higher hyperactivated movement in the PFEs than in the GFEs, which suggests that analyzing these sperm kinematic parameters could be a useful tool for predicting the potential freezability of an ejaculate. This statement was demonstrated by grouping the 29 ejaculates into two clusters (A and B) based on LIN and STR values assessed after 30 min at 5 °C, which resulted in around 72% of coincidence with the GFE and PFE groups. Study 2, performed at 17 °C and 240 min postthaw, revealed no differences between GFEs and PFEs in the immunolabeling of the three proteins within a same step, in terms of location and reactivity, although reactivity was generally weaker at 240 min postthaw in both groups. Additional studies on Western blot are currently being carried out with the objective to quantify the expression of the three proteins in GFEs and PFEs in the three steps of the cryopreservation process.