The galectin-1-glycan axis controls sperm fertilizing capacity by regulating sperm motility and membrane hyperpolarization
Lectin-glycan recognition systems play central roles in many physiologic and pathologic processes. Here, we identified a role for galectin-1 (Gal-1), a highly conserved glycan-binding protein, in the control of sperm function. We found that Gal-1 is expressed in the epididymis and associates with sp...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Estado: | Versão publicada |
| Data de publicação: | 2015 |
| País: | Argentina |
| Recursos: | Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas |
| Repositório: | CONICET Digital (CONICET) |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/3189 |
| Acesso em linha: | http://hdl.handle.net/11336/3189 |
| Access Level: | Acceso aberto |
| Palavra-chave: | Acrosome Reaction Capacitation Fertilization Galectin-1 Glicosylation Motility Sperm https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6 https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1 https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3.1 https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3 |
| Resumo: | Lectin-glycan recognition systems play central roles in many physiologic and pathologic processes. Here, we identified a role for galectin-1 (Gal-1), a highly conserved glycan-binding protein, in the control of sperm function. We found that Gal-1 is expressed in the epididymis and associates with sperm during epididymal maturation. Exposure of sperm to Gal-1 resulted in glycan-dependent modulation of the acrosome reaction (AR), a key event in the fertilization process. Gal-1-deficient (Lgals1-/-) mice revealed the essential contribution of this lectin for full sperm fertilizing ability both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, Lgals1-/- sperm exhibited defects in their ability to develop hyperactivation, a vigorous motility required for penetration of the egg vestments. Moreover, Lgals1-/- sperm showed a decreased ability to control cell volume and to undergo progesterone-induced AR, phenotypes that were rescued by exposure of the cells to recombinant Gal-1. Interestingly, the AR defect was associated with a deficiency in sperm membrane potential hyperpolarization. Our study highlights the relevance of the Gal-1-glycan axis in sperm function with critical implications in mammalian reproductive biology. |
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