HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) An addition or correction has been published All Versions of this Article: 74/6/1104    most recent biolreprod.105.049304v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rejraji, H. Articles by Drevet, J. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rejraji, H. Articles by Drevet, J. R. Agricola Articles by Rejraji, H. Articles by Drevet, J. R.

Lipid Remodeling of Murine Epididymosomes and Spermatozoa During Epididymal Maturation¹

Laboratoire Epididyme et Maturation des Gamètes,⁴ Université Blaise Pascal, CNRS UMR 6547 GEEM, 63177 Aubière, France Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction,⁵ EA975, Université d'Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France Laboratoire de Biologie des Protistes,⁶ Universite Blaise Pascal, CNRS UMR 6023, 63177 Aubière, France Laboratoire de Physiopathologie des Lipides et Membranes,⁷ INSERM U585, INSA-Lyon, 69622 Villeurbanne, France Laboratoire de Biochimie,⁸ CHU, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France

ABSTRACT

We have isolated vesicular structures from mouse epididymal fluid, referred to as epididymosomes. Epididymosomes have a roughly spherical aspect and a bilayer membrane, and they are heterogeneous in size and content. They originate from the epididymal epithelium, notably from the caput region, and are emitted in the epididymal lumen by way of apocrine secretion. We characterized their membranous lipid profiles in caput and cauda epididymidal fluid samples and found that epididymosomes were particularly rich in sphingomyelin (SM) and arachidonic acid. The proportion of SM increased markedly during epididymal transit and represented half the total phospholipids in cauda epididymidal epididymosomes. The cholesterol:phospholipid ratio increased from 0.26 in the caput to 0.48 in the cauda epididymidis. Measures of epididymosomal membrane anisotropy revealed that epididymosomes became more rigid during epididymal transit, in agreement with their lipid composition. In addition, we have characterized the membrane lipid pattern of murine epididymal spermatozoa during their maturation. Here, we have shown that mouse epididymal spermatozoa were distinguished by high percentages of SM and polyunsaturated membranous fatty acids (PUFAs), principally represented by arachidonic, docosapentanoic, and docosahexanoic acids. Both SM and PUFA increased throughout the epididymal tract. In particular, we observed a threefold rise in the ratio of docosapentanoic acid. Epididymal spermatozoa had a constant cholesterol:phospholipid ratio (average, 0.30) during epididymal transit. These data suggest that in contrast with epididymosomes, spermatozoal membranes seem to become more fluid during epididymal maturation.

epididymis, gamete biology, male reproductive tract, sperm maturation

¹ Supported by grants from the French "Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique" and the French "Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche."

² Correspondence. FAX: 33 04 73 40 52 45; joel.drevet{at}univ-bpclermont.fr

³ Current address: Centre de Recherche en Biologie de la Reproduction, Université Laval, Département d'Obstétrique et Gynécologie, CHUL, Ste Foy, PQ G1V 4G2, Canada.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Yamaguchi, K. Yamagata, H. Hasuwa, E. Inano, M. Ikawa, and M. Okabe Cd52, known as a major maturation-associated sperm membrane antigen secreted from the epididymis, is not required for fertilization in the mouse. Genes Cells, August 1, 2008; 13(8): 851 - 861. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Thimon, G. Frenette, F. Saez, M. Thabet, and R. Sullivan Protein composition of human epididymosomes collected during surgical vasectomy reversal: a proteomic and genomic approach Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2008; 23(8): 1698 - 1707. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Lybaert, A. M. Vanbellinghen, E. Quertinmont, M. Petein, S. Meuris, and P. Lebrun KATP Channel Subunits Are Expressed in the Epididymal Epithelium in Several Mammalian Species Biol Reprod, August 1, 2008; 79(2): 253 - 261. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Girouard, G. Frenette, and R. Sullivan Seminal Plasma Proteins Regulate the Association of Lipids and Proteins Within Detergent-Resistant Membrane Domains of Bovine Spermatozoa Biol Reprod, May 1, 2008; 78(5): 921 - 931. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. S Griffiths, K. A Miller, D. S Galileo, and P. A Martin-DeLeon Murine SPAM1 is secreted by the estrous uterus and oviduct in a form that can bind to sperm during capacitation: acquisition enhances hyaluronic acid-binding ability and cumulus dispersal efficiency Reproduction, March 1, 2008; 135(3): 293 - 301. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.L. Cavilla, C.R. Kennedy, A.G. Byskov, and G.M. Hartshorne Human immature oocytes grow during culture for IVM Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2008; 23(1): 37 - 45. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]