CEFYBO   02669
CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS FARMACOLOGICOS Y BOTANICOS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Aberrant expression of the endocannabinoid system in spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic patients
Autor/es:
SILVINA PEREZ-MARTINEZ, ARENAS GABRIELA, MARTÍNEZ EDUARDO, REY VALZACCHI GASTÓN AND JULIANA BURDET
Reunión:
Congreso; Society for Study of Reproduction SSR 46th Annual meeting; 2013
Resumen:
Aberrant expression of the endocannabinoid
system in spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic patients
1Burdet Juliana, 1, 2Arenas
Gabriela, 1Martínez Eduardo, 2Rey Valzacchi Gastón and 1Perez
Martinez Silvina.
1Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción en Mamíferos CEFyBO ?
CONICET; 2Centro de
reproducción asistida PROCREARTE.
Male infertility is a major cause of problems for many couples when conceiving
a child. As one of the important factors that cause infertility, asthenospermia
is characterized as low sperm motility. The endocannabinoid system, mainly
through the action of anandamide (AEA) at cannabinoid (CB1, CB2) and vanilloid
(TRPV1) receptors, plays a crucial role in controlling functionality of sperm,
with a clear impact on male reproductive potential. Endocannabinoids are lipid
mediators that mimic the effects of cannabinoids. Their effects depend on the
concentration in the extracellular space, which is controlled principally by
its degrading enzyme: fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). In mice, FAAH deficiency
(FAAH-/ -) increases AEA levels in the reproductive tract and reduces sperm
motility and its ability to fertilize an egg. The aim of this study was to
characterize FAAH enzyme and TRPV1 receptor in patients affected by idiopathic
asthenozoospermia.
Spermatozoa
from asthenozoospermic patients (Astheno) and spermatozoa from normozoospermic
donors (Normo) were selected by glass wool. To characterize FAAH and TRPV1
proteins, Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence assays were performed
using specific anti-FAAH and anti-TRPV1 antibodies.
Results
showed no significant differences in FAAH protein expression between Normo and
Astheno. However, FAAH immunolocalization was different in these groups. In
Normo, FAAH enzyme was mainly localized in the post-acrosomal region and mid-piece
of the tail (66 %). In Astheno, FAAH localization varied between: a)
post-acrosomal region and mid-piece of the tail (38%), b) mid-piece of the tail
(10%) and c) acrosome region and end piece of the tail (52%). Interestingly, a
decrease in FAAH activity was observed in Astheno compared to Normo.
Furthermore,
a significant decrease of TRPV1 protein expression was detected in Astheno patients
(p<0.05). TRPV1 immunolocalization was observed along the sperm tail both in
Normo and Astheno. However, the percentage of immnodetection in Astheno was lower
than in Normo (15% vs 68%, respectively; p<0.001), according to western blot
results.
Asthenozoospermia is a common cause of male
infertility. Its etiology probably includes a series of biochemical and
functional defects, among which a deregulation of the endocannabinoid system
may be involved. Different FAAH enzyme location and a decrease in TRPV1
expression suggest that aberrant endocannabinoid system may be involved sperm motility
failure of astenoszoopermic patients.
Key words:
spermatozoa, endocannabinoids, FAAH, TRPV1, asthenozoospermia.