Progesterone enhances prostaglandin E2 production via interaction with nitric oxide in the mouse acrosome reaction.

HERRERO MARIA BELEN; CEBRAL ELISA; FRANCHI ANA MARIA; MOTTA, ALICIA BEATRIZ; GIMENO MARTA

BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 1998 vol. 252 p. 324 - 328

0006-291X

In the present study we evidenced that progesterone could directly stimulate sperm nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in capacitated mouse spermatozoa. This stimulation led to an increase in sperm prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production and subsequent acrosomal exocytosis. However, cGMP levels were not modified during the progesterone-induced acrosome reaction under our experimental conditions. These results suggest a functional role for nitric oxide as an intracellular messenger through, at least, stimulation of PGE2 production during the acrosome reaction triggered by progesterone.