PDC-109: modulatory actions on bovine sperm functional activity in presence or in absence of heparin.

FIOL DE CUNEO M; VINCENTI LM; MARTINI AC; PONCE AA; RUIZ RD

THERIOGENOLOGY

Elsevier science

Año: 2004 vol. 62 p. 207 - 216

0093-691X

  The PDC-109 is an heparin binding protein from the seminal vesicles; at ejaculation, it binds to sperm surface phospholipids. At present, evidences indicate that it could play a modulator role on several aspects of sperm activity. Here we investigated: 1) in the presence or in the absence of heparin, the effects of exogenous PDC-109 upon bovine sperm motility (Makler chamber), viability (Hoechst 33258) and membrane functional integrity (hypoosmotic swelling test); 2) the possible role of PDC-109 as a capacitating factor and 3) its potential ability to induce the acrosome reaction (AR) (FICT-PSA). After 4 h capacitation in the presence of heparin, the addition of PDC-109 (0.5, 1.5 or  3.0 mg/ml) elicited a significant decrease in the percentages of  motile, progressive or viable cells. These effects were also detected in the absence of heparin. However, only in the presence of heparin, PDC-109 elicited an approximate two-fold increase (~14% to ~28%) in the percentage of AR. Progesterone (10 mM) or angiotensin II (100 or 1000 nM) stimulated the AR after capacitation in the presence of PDC-109 without heparin (from ~10% to ~17%, ~23% and ~22% respectively). Our evidences clearly suggest that PDC-109 is a sperm functional activity modulator in that some effects were dependent on the presence of heparin in the medium.