Energetic sources required to maintain human sperm hyperactivation in vitro

LUQUE GM; BUFFONE MG; MARIN-BRIGGILER C; VISCONTI PE; KRAPF D

Mar del Plata

Congreso; Reunión Anual de Sociedades de Biociencia. SAIC, SAFE, SAB, SAP, AACYTAL.; 2019

To gain fertilization competence, mammalian sperm must undergo a complex process called capacitation, which is associated with the development of a distinct type of non-progressive motility (hyperactivation, HA). In spite of its relevance, the molecular mechanisms underlying HA, including its ionic and metabolic requirements remain elusive. The objective of the present work was to analyze the metabolic substrates necessary to maintain human sperm HA. Motile sperm obtained from healthy donors, were incubated for 4 h in BWW media containing glycolysable (Glucose, Glu) or non-glycolysable substrates (Pyruvate/Lactate, Pyr/Lact), all these nutrients (Complete medium, Comp), or none of them (Incomplete medium, Incomp). Motility parameters were measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis (SCA system). ATP content was analyzed by luminescence (kit by Cayman Chemical), and PKA-related phosphorylation (pPKA) and tyrosine phosphorylation (pY) were evaluated by Western blotting. Only sperm incubated in Comp medium showed maximum percentages of HA, and significantly lower HA levels were obtained in Incomp, Pyr/Lact (p