muramidase and Infertility--Male

Proteins of the epididymal and testicular mileu contribute to sperm maturation and a vast majority of them remain uncharacterised. In this study, the role of three Lysozyme-like (LYZL) proteins, namely LYZL1, LYZL4 and LYZL6 in sperm function was assessed using in vitro neutralization and auto antibodies generation model. Rats immunized with LYZL1, LYZL4 and LYZL6 proteins had a litter size of 5.93, 8.47 and 2.10 respectively compared to 9.96 in the control rats. The litter size was further reduced to 4.53, 7.67 and 1.23 for the corresponding proteins in the second mating conducted 14 weeks after immunization. Epididymal and testicular fluids obtained from the immunized rats displayed a very high antibody titre against all the three proteins. Sperm count was significantly reduced in rats immunized with LYZL1 or LYZL6 and to a lower extent in LYZL4 group. Acrosome reaction associated calcium release was inhibited in spermatozoa obtained from LYZL1 or LYZL4 or LYZL6 immunized rats as well as in spermatozoa incubated with antiserum against the three proteins. Impairment in path velocity, progressive velocity and track speed were observed in spermatozoa obtained from LYZL6 immunized rats. Treatment of spermatozoa with LYZL6 recombinant protein did not potentiate calcium release and acrosome reaction. Results of this study indicate a role for LYZL proteins in sperm function and further studies are warranted to explore them as potential contraceptive agents.

Topics: Acrosome Reaction; Animals; Autoantibodies; Calcium Signaling; Female; Immunization; Infertility, Male; Male; Muramidase; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reproduction; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa; Vaccination

Antisperm antibodies (ASA) may be an important cause of infertility, but current tests for the detection of ASA have poor prognostic value. Identification of the sperm proteins that ASA bind to may aid the development of more useful diagnostic tests.. One- and two-dimensional PAGE and western blotting analyses, as well as amino acid sequencing, were used to identify a novel sperm protein reactive with ASA (SPRASA) from infertile men. An antiserum reactive with SPRASA was produced by immunizing a rabbit with SPRASA excised from two-dimensional gels. This antiserum was used to demonstrate the localization of SPRASA on the sperm.. Amino acid sequences derived from SPRASA matched those of a theoretical protein, XP-085564. This protein is derived from the C-type lysozyme/alpha-lactalbumin gene family. Immunohisto chemistry indicates that SPRASA is localized to the acrosome. Western blot analysis revealed that 50 unselected individuals did not have antibodies that reacted with SPRASA.. Only ASA from infertile men react with SPRASA, suggesting that this novel protein may be important in the processes of fertility. The identification of SPRASA as the antigen for infertility-associated ASA raises the possibility of developing first, antigen-specific tests for ASA, and secondly, more targeted treatment for immune-mediated infertility.

Topics: Acrosome; Amino Acid Sequence; Autoantibodies; Autoantigens; Blotting, Western; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Infertility, Male; Isoantigens; Lactalbumin; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Muramidase; Peptide Mapping; Seminal Plasma Proteins; Sequence Homology; Spermatozoa

If the clinical asymptomatic infection of the genital tract is a very frequent diagnosis of the hypofertility, it's quite important to know if the infection is evolutive or not. The assessment of inflammatory proteins of the seminal plasma as albumin IgA, gamma-globulins, lysozyme allows to do the differential diagnosis. So, an increase of such proteins is the expression of an evolutive infection.

Topics: Albumins; Biomarkers; Case-Control Studies; Diagnosis, Differential; gamma-Globulins; Genital Diseases, Male; Humans; Immunoglobulin A; Infections; Infertility, Male; Male; Muramidase; Semen; Spermatic Cord

Spermal samples of 60 men were examined, 40 of these men suffering from sterility. A significant reduction of the share of mobile spermatozoa in sterile patients was parallelled by a reduced spermal lysozyme level, as against that in healthy controls. In other words, a relationship between spermal lysozyme level and spermatozoa mobility was revealed. The detected regular reduction of spermal lysozyme level permits using this parameter as a diagnostic test.

Topics: Humans; Infertility, Male; Male; Muramidase; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa