Modifications induced by the in vitro addition of ghrelin on mice sperm functional activity.

LUQUE EM; TORRES PJ; DE LOREDO N; VINCENTI LM; FIOL DE CUNEO M; MARTINI AC

Córdoba

Jornada; XIV Jornada de Investigación Científica de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; 2013

Ghrelin (Ghr) is a peptide that modulates reproductive physiology, linking reproduction with energy balance. The expression of the peptide and its receptor has been reported in testis, prostate and sperm; the presence of Ghr in seminal plasma has also been informed. The aim of our study was to evaluate the in vitro effects of different doses of Ghr (10-7M and 10-9M), with or without the co-administration of an antagonist (Ant: (D-Lys 3) GHRP-6, 10-5M) on sperm functional activity. We evaluated sperm quality (motility, vitality and acrosomal status) of Albino swiss mice epididymal gametes, after 3 and 40 min of incubation, and sperm response to progesterone (i.e. capacitation) after 120 min of incubation. Results were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA. Ghrelin decreased sperm motility after 3 min of incubation and the antagonist dose of 10-5M was not capable of reversing these deleterious effects (control=54,1±4,3 vs Ghr 10-9M=42,7±6,0; Ghr 10-7M=40,7±5,9; Ghr 10-9+Ant=46,0±5,0; Ghr 10-7M+Ant=44,4±5,4; Ant 10-5M=48,1±6,6; n=8, p