GPR55 receptor activation by endocannabinoids regulates signaling pathways associated to sperm motility

LOTTERO, RAQUEL; BOGETTI, EUGENIA; MIRAGAYA, MARCELO; ALONSO, CARLOS AGUSTÍN ISIDRO; CHIARANTE, NICOLÁS; PEREZ MARTINEZ, SILVINA; ARROYO SALVO, CAMILA; PLAZA, JESSICA

Mar del Plata

Congreso; Reunión Anual de Sociedades Biocientíficas 2019; 2019

The endocannabinoid system has been characterized in most mammalian spermatozoa and plays a crucial role in sperm function. Anandamide (AEA), the major endocannabinoid, is involved in sperm capacitation by activation of CB1 and TRPV1, but not CB2 receptors. An association between sperm motility and fertilizing competence has been shown, since motility is required for sperm to traverse the female genital tract. Recently, we characterized in bovine spermatozoa a novel cannabinoid receptor, G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55), which is modulated by AEA. We found that GPR55 is localized to the equatorial segment and flagellum of capacitated sperm. Also, the activation of GPR55 regulates progressive motility in sperm incubated in capacitating conditions. Since GPR55 is coupled to different G proteins that activate a widespread of signaling pathways, in this work we studied possible molecular pathways triggered by the activation of GPR55 receptor in sperm incubated with different receptor agonists. Results of computer assisted sperm analysis supported that the increase in progressive motility by Meta-AEA (1.4 nM; non-hydrolysable analogue of AEA) was reverted by 10 µM CID16020046, a GPR55 antagonist (p