Estrogens are known to influence functional properties of mammalian spermatozoa inducing rapid responses through the classical estrogen receptors (ER and ER). Recently, the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) has been identified as mediator of fast non-genomic estrogen effects in different cells. This work investigated the expression of GPER in human and pig spermatozoa using immunofluorescence, Western blot analysis and RT-PCR. GPER was found to be confined to the mid-piece of human sperm cells, whereas it was detected in the acrosomal region, the equatorial segment and the mid-piece of pig spermatozoa. Furthermore, in the male gametes of both species, the immunoblots of sperm extracts revealed a band at similar to 42kDa, consistent with the GPER molecular weight, and RT-PCR detected the GPER transcripts. This is the first report demonstrating the expression of GPER in human and pig mature sperm cells and evidencing its species-specific cellular localization.
Identification of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor in human and pig spermatozoa.
RAGO, VITTORIA;GIORDANO, Francesca;BRUNELLI, ElviraMembro del Collaboration Group
;Aquila, S;CARPINO, Amalia
2014-01-01
Abstract
Estrogens are known to influence functional properties of mammalian spermatozoa inducing rapid responses through the classical estrogen receptors (ER and ER). Recently, the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) has been identified as mediator of fast non-genomic estrogen effects in different cells. This work investigated the expression of GPER in human and pig spermatozoa using immunofluorescence, Western blot analysis and RT-PCR. GPER was found to be confined to the mid-piece of human sperm cells, whereas it was detected in the acrosomal region, the equatorial segment and the mid-piece of pig spermatozoa. Furthermore, in the male gametes of both species, the immunoblots of sperm extracts revealed a band at similar to 42kDa, consistent with the GPER molecular weight, and RT-PCR detected the GPER transcripts. This is the first report demonstrating the expression of GPER in human and pig mature sperm cells and evidencing its species-specific cellular localization.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.