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Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Research

Autocrine regulation of human sperm motility by tachykinins

Authors: Francisco M Pinto, Cristina G Ravina, Nerea Subiran, Antonio Cejudo-Román, Manuel Fernández-Sánchez, Jon Irazusta, Nicolas Garrido, Luz Candenas

Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Background

We examined the presence and function of tachykinins and the tachykinin-degrading enzymes neprilysin (NEP) and neprilysin-2 (NEP2) in human spermatozoa.

Methods

Freshly ejaculated semen was collected from forty-eight normozoospermic human donors. We analyzed the expression of substance P, neurokinin A, neurokinin B, hemokinin-1, NEP and NEP2 in sperm cells by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot and immunocytochemistry assays and evaluated the effects of the neprilysin and neprilysin-2 inhibitor phosphoramidon on sperm motility in the absence and presence of tachykinin receptor-selective antagonists. Sperm motility was measured using WHO procedures or computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA).

Results

The mRNAs of the genes that encode substance P/neurokinin A (TAC1), neurokinin B (TAC3), hemokinin-1 (TAC4), neprilysin (MME) and neprilysin-2 (MMEL1) were expressed in human sperm. Immunocytochemistry studies revealed that tachykinin and neprilysin proteins were present in spermatozoa and show specific and differential distributions. Phosphoramidon increased sperm progressive motility and its effects were reduced in the presence of the tachykinin receptor antagonists SR140333 (NK1 receptor-selective) and SR48968 (NK2 receptor-selective) but unmodified in the presence of SR142801 (NK3 receptor-selective).

Conclusion

These data show that tachykinins are present in human spermatozoa and participate in the regulation of sperm motility. Tachykinin activity is regulated, at least in part, by neprilysins.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Autocrine regulation of human sperm motility by tachykinins
Authors
Francisco M Pinto
Cristina G Ravina
Nerea Subiran
Antonio Cejudo-Román
Manuel Fernández-Sánchez
Jon Irazusta
Nicolas Garrido
Luz Candenas
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7827
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-8-104

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