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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 75/1/82    most recent biolreprod.106.051730v1 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 Cobellis, G. Articles by Fasano, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cobellis, G. Articles by Fasano, S. Agricola Articles by Cobellis, G. Articles by Fasano, S.

Endocannabinoid System in Frog and Rodent Testis: Type-1 Cannabinoid Receptor and Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Activity in Male Germ Cells¹

Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale,³ Sez. "F. Bottazzi," II Università di Napoli, 80138 Napoli, Italy Dipartimento di Studi delle Istituzionie dei Sistemi Territoriali,⁴ Università Parthenope di Napoli, 80133 Napoli, Italy Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo,⁵ Università degli Studi di Torino, 10123 Torino, Italy Departments of Physiology and Biophysics and Anaesthesiology,⁶ University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195

ABSTRACT

N-arachidonoylethanolamide (anandamide [AEA]) is the main endocannabinoid described to date in the testis. It exerts its effects through the activation of G-protein coupled cannabinoid receptors (CNR). However, the activity of AEA in controlling male reproduction is still poorly known. Here we provide direct evidence on the presence of the "endocannabinoid system," constituted by type-1 cannabinoid receptor (CNR1) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), in the frog Rana esculenta testis demonstrating its expression in tubular compartment. In fact, during the annual reproductive cycle, both proteins increase in September, when the appearance of spermatids (SPT) occurs. Immunocytochemistry confirms their localization in germ cells and, in particular, in elongated SPT. Signals are still present in spermatozoa (SPZ), as demonstrated by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the activation of CNR1 reduces sperm motility. Comparative research, carried out using mouse and rat SPZ, definitely indicates that the endocannabinoid system operates in SPZ of phylogenetically distant species. A conserved physiological role of endocannabinoid system in controlling the inhibition of sperm motility is suggested.

male reproductive tract, sperm, sperm motility and transport, spermatogenesis, testis

¹ Supported by MIUR (PRIN 2005), Regione Campania (L.5), Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi (INBB), and Fondi di Ricerca Ateneo (ex 60%).

² Correspondence: FAX: 39 081 7536; riccardo.pierantoni{at}unina2.it

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