SPINK3 modulates a store operated calcium channel during capacitation

L ZALAZAR; A CESARI; G DE BLAS; D VILLAMONTE

Mar del Plata

Congreso; LXI Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC), MEDICINA; 2016

ANPCYT y CONICET

Capacitation is a key process in the acquisition of spermfertilization competence. It involves several changes in themembrane structure including an increment in Ca2+influxthat triggers a signal transduction pathway inside the sperm.SPINK3 (Serine Protease Inhibitor Kazal-type 3) is a serineprotease inhibitor that is secreted from the prostate andseminal vesicle. It detaches from the sperm surface in thefemale reproductive tract. Previous reports showed that thisprotein is able to reduce the calcium uptake in the sperm.Moreover, SPINK3 is able to reduce the percentages of spermwith the acrosome loss induced by progesterone andchanges the pattern of proteins phosphorylated in tyrosineresidues, as signal of capacitation (Zalazar et al 2012) .