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Biochemical methods as tool for study of reproductive proteins
Postlerová, Pavla ; Zigo, Michal ; Pohlová, Alžběta ; Jonáková, Věra
Study of molecular mechanisms in reproduction is essential for the understanding of this outstanding process. Our lab studies proteins secreted by reproductive organs and sperm using various biochemical methods for a long time. We have expertise in protein extraction from spermatic cells using different approaches, and by kits for proteins from the sperm surface and distinct subcellular compartments. The proteins of reproductive organ fluids are separated by chromatographic methods, such as size exclusion chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography with reverse phase (RP-HPLC) and affinity chromatography on matrices with various ligands. Proteins are subjected to SDS- or 2D-electrophoresis for their characterization and comparison of various extraction methods, different mammalian species, and sperm in different functional development. Electrophoretically separated proteins may be transferred onto nitrocellulose membrane (Western blot) for antibody detection or binding studies with lectin-labelled ligands (lectins, polysaccharides, zona pellucida glycoproteins). We use immunoprecipitation method with specific antibody for protein determination followed by the MALDI identification. Proteins are localized by immunofluorescent techniques on/in spermatic cells and tissue sections of reproductive organs. Isolation of proteins from reproductive tissues and fluids, and the antibody detection is crucial for the studying of reproductive protein origin.
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Expression of selected proteins in sperm in men with normal and pathological spermiograms using monoclonal antibodies
Pěknicová, Jana ; Čapková, Jana ; Dorosh, Andriy ; Margaryan, Hasmik ; Kubátová, Alena ; Děd, Lukáš
Recent studies show that infertility in human populations it affects an estimated 15% of couples of reproductive age. Male infertility is the primary cause for 60% of these cases. For these reasons, we analyzed the acrosomal and sperm surface proteins in men with normal and pathological spermiograms. We found that intra-acrosome proteins: TERA (Transitional endoplasmic reticulum ATPase), GAPDHS (Sperm Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), and PRKAR2A (C-AMP-dependent protein kinase II, PRKAR2A), which can be identified using our monoclonal antibodies, are different express in healthy men and men with astenozoospermia (with reduced sperm motility), and with a significantly reduced expression in the astenozoospermia. These proteins are involved in energy metabolism and apoptosis of the cells, and some of them in the sperm-egg interaction; therefore, they have an important role in reproduction. On the other hand, there were no statistically significant differences in the expression of surface proteins (Appolipoprotein J (Clusterin) and Semenogelin). Our findings show that astenozoospermia as a complex disorder of the semen is often combined with other pathological conditions that are not diagnosed by the semen analysis. Therefore monoclonal antibodies are so suitable instrument for the detection of proteins associated with the pathology of the sperm in the semen with low sperm motility. In general, monoclonal antibodies against the sperm proteins are an appropriate tool to detect sperm quality in reproductive medicine.
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Single cell expression analysis of genes with potential mrna gradient in mouse oocytes
Dorosh, Andriy ; Margaryan, Hasmik ; Vodička, Martin ; Ergang, Peter ; Šídová, Monika ; Dvořáková-Hortová, Kateřina
In frogs, there are clearly visible differently pigmented animal and vegetal poles of the egg determined before fertilization and leading to asymmetrical divisions. Mammalian egg does not show any comparable differentiation and it has been generally accepted that even the individual blastomeres in 2-cell and 4-cell embryos are homogenous. However, recent findings suggest that those blastomeres display different gene expression patterns and might already possess some inclinations to specific cell lineages. We therefore raised a question, whether there could be any mRNA or protein gradients in pre-fertilization oocytes similar to a previously described amphibian egg one. In mammalian eggs, there is a membrane region that is poor in microvilli, cortical granules are absent beneath plasma membrane and sperm cells generally do not bind to this location. This microvilli free region also covers the egg nucleus, and cytoskeleton localization differs markedly to the rest of the cortical space, forming actin –myosin II cortical cap/ring and is considered as animal pole. The purpose of this study was to determine gene products that can be detected at single cell level using qPCR and display gradient like distribution in mature oocytes. We checked expression of 12 selected genes in a pool of 10 oocytes and single mature oocytes. Then, we analysed gene expression in fixed intact oocytes and those undergoing laser capture microdissection procedure (LCMD). Eventually, we have determined six candidate genes for the study of intracellular spatial gene expression in mature mammalian oocytes by subcellular qPCR and in situ hybridization.
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Estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) in testicular cells and sperm
Dostálová, Pavla ; Žatecká, Eva ; Děd, Lukáš ; Dorosh, Andriy ; Postlerová, Pavla ; Jonáková, Věra ; Dvořáková-Hortová, Kateřina ; Pěknicová, Jana
Estrogen is a steroid hormone that plays an important role during sperm development in the male and female reproductive tract. Estrogen signalling is a complex process that depends on cell milieu and presence of receptors. Thanks to the steroid nature of estrogens, they can pass through the plasmatic membrane and bind to the intracellular estrogen receptors (ERs). Within the cell, there are several pools of ERs. One of them is localized to the cell nucleus and their activation leads to direct or indirect binding to DNA and ultimately to alternation in gene expression (genomic pathway). Other pools of ERs are associated with plasma membrane or are located in cytosol. Activation of membrane associated ERs leads to rapid non-genomic responses. Nowadays, two classical estrogen receptors are known – ERα and ERβ. Since ERβ is a predominant variant in testes, we focused our study on expression of ERβ variants in murine testes and sperm. We detected two variants of ERβ at mRNA level in both, testes and sperm. These variants differ in 54 nucleotids within the ligand binding domain and this variability results in different affinity to estrogen. We analyzed individual testicular cell types (spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids, Sertoli cells) by RT-qPCR. Our results suggest that both ERβ variants are coexpressed in the same cell type and may therefore interact together. This may have consequences in mediating of estrogen signalling. Moreover, ERβ is expressed more in the later stages of spermatogenesis suggesting the role of ERβ in these stages or alternatively in spermatozoa alone. At the protein level, we detected ERβ in nuclear, membrane and cytosolic fraction prepared from testicular tissue suggesting the involvement of both, genomic and non-genomic, pathways of estrogen signaling in testes. In sperm, anti-ERβ antibodies localized ERβ in acrosome region and tail which is in accordance with the known role of estrogen on capacitation, acrosome reaction and motility.
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Possible role of spermatogenic protein glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDHS) in mammalian sperm
Margaryan, Hasmik ; Dorosh, Andriy ; Čapková, Jana ; Postlerová, Pavla ; Philimonenko, Anatoly ; Hozák, Pavel ; Pěknicová, Jana
Sperm proteins are important for the structure and function of these specific, highly differentiated cells. Certain of these proteins play a role in sperm-egg recognition during primary or secondary binding at zona pellucida glycoprotein matrix. The aim of this study was to characterize the acrosomal sperm protein recognized by a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) Hs-8, prepared in our laboratory by immunization of BALB/c mice with human ejaculated sperm, and to test the possible role of this protein in gamete interaction. MoAb Hs-8 specifically labelled a 45 kDa protein from the sperm extract in the immunoblotting test. Sequence analysis identified this Hs-8 protein as GAPDHS. In order to perform a control tests, a commercial mouse anti-GAPDHS MoAb was applied. Both antibodies showed similar staining patterns using immunofluorescence labelling, transmission electron microscopy and immunoblot analysis. Moreover, both Hs-8 and commercial anti-GAPDHS antibodies blocked the secondary sperm-zona pellucida binding. Generally, GAPDHS was considered mainly as sperm-specific glycolytic enzyme involved in energy production during spermatogenesis and sperm motility and its role in the sperm head was unknown. In this study, we confirmed the potential additional role of GAPDHS as a binding protein that is involved in the sperm-zona pellucida interaction.
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CD46 and β1integrin interaction in mouse sperm head
Šebková, Nataša ; Frolíková, Michaela ; Dvořáková-Hortová, Kateřina
CD46 protein plays an important role during fertilization and its role is associated with acrosome stability. CD46 is probably involved in signalling pathways triggering the acrosome reaction. Integrins interact with many cytoskeletal proteins such as actin, therefore changes in the actin cytoskeleton before and after AR may lead to changes in the association and localization of CD46 and β1integrin. Our aim was to monitor mutual CD46 and β1integrin interaction detected by the proximity ligation assay. It generates a localized signal in a form of spots revealing the exact position of the recognition event. Proteins interaction was study in freshly released sperm and sperm during the acrosome reaction, during which there is a gradual relocation of these proteins towards the equatorial segment and the whole sperm head. Proteins α and β tubulin were used as a positive control, α tubulin and β1 integrin as a negative control. In situ PLA showed a distinct spotted signal indicating the mutual interaction of CD46 and β1integrin. A positive response was demonstrated not only in freshly released sperm but also in sperm during the acrosome reaction. Freshly released sperm were distinctively labelled in the acrosome region and the neck, similarly to the positive control. Sperm during the acrosome reaction showed the signal across the whole sperm head region. No signal or sporadic nonspecific staining was detected in the case of the negative control. In summary, our results deliver new information that proteins CD46 and β1 integrin interact with each other. These results suppose the theory that β1 integrin can mediate a connection between CD46 and sperm cytoskeleton thereby molecules of signalling pathways leading to activation of the acrosome reaction.
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