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Versatile action of picomolar gradients of progesterone on different sperm subpopulations.

ABSTRACT: High step concentrations of progesterone may stimulate various sperm physiological processes, such as priming and the acrosome reaction. However, approaching the egg, spermatozoa face increasing concentrations of the hormone, as it is secreted by the cumulus cells and then passively diffuses along the cumulus matrix and beyond. In this context, several questions arise: are spermatozoa sensitive to the steroid gradients as they undergo priming and the acrosome reaction? If so, what are the functional gradual concentrations of progesterone? Do spermatozoa in different physiological states respond differentially to steroid gradients? To answer these questions, spermatozoa were confronted with progesterone gradients generated by different hormone concentrations (1 pM to 100 µM). Brief exposure to a 10 pM progesterone gradient stimulated priming for the acrosome reaction in one sperm subpopulation, and simultaneously induced the acrosome reaction in a different sperm subpopulation. This effect was not observed in non-capacitated cells or when progesterone was homogeneously distributed. The results suggest a versatile role of the gradual distribution of very low doses of progesterone, which selectively stimulate the priming and the acrosome reaction in different sperm subpopulations.

SUBMITTER: Unates DR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3948779 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Versatile action of picomolar gradients of progesterone on different sperm subpopulations.

Uñates Diego Rafael DR Guidobaldi Héctor Alejandro HA Gatica Laura Virginia LV Cubilla Marisa Angélica MA Teves María Eugenia ME Moreno Ayelén A Giojalas Laura Cecilia LC

PloS one 20140310 3

High step concentrations of progesterone may stimulate various sperm physiological processes, such as priming and the acrosome reaction. However, approaching the egg, spermatozoa face increasing concentrations of the hormone, as it is secreted by the cumulus cells and then passively diffuses along the cumulus matrix and beyond. In this context, several questions arise: are spermatozoa sensitive to the steroid gradients as they undergo priming and the acrosome reaction? If so, what are the functi ...[more]

PMID: 24614230

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Project description:BackgroundSperm selection is essential for the health of offspring conceived via assistive reproductive technology (ART). Various methods of sperm preparation for in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection have been developed to acquire sperm with better quality and to avoid potential genetic disorders. However, current sperm processing and selection techniques bypass the natural selection that occurs during fertilization in vivo. The aim of this study was to present a novel distance-progesterone-combined selection approach with an original device based on the human female reproductive tract, and to report on its effectiveness based on sperm progressive motility, as well as chemotaxis.MethodsA novel device with long distance channels which mimicked the female human reproductive system was designed and fabricated. This ready-to-be-used device was developed using a progesterone gradient and human tube fluid media. Sperm swam for 150 min in the device under conditions of 37 °C air temperature with 5% CO2 after separation from seminal plasma via discontinuous Percoll gradient treatment. The selected sperm were assessed for normal morphology using Diff-Quik staining. A chromatin diffusion assay assessed sperm for DNA fragments and apoptosis was assessed using annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide fluorescent staining.ResultsOur distance-progesterone-combined sperm selection method was successfully established. After sperm were selected, the percentage of sperm with normal morphology increased (before vs. after selection, 11.2 ± 1.3% vs. 40.3 ± 6.6%, P = 0.000), the percentage of sperm with DNA fragmentation decreased (before vs. after selection, 15.4 ± 4.0% vs. 6.8 ± 3.3%, P = 0.001), and the percentage of sperm with apoptosis did not change significantly.ConclusionsOur newly-developed method is capable of successfully selecting sperm of high quality. The method will be benefit clinical ART practice as it can reduce sperm-related genetic risks.

Dataset Information

Versatile action of picomolar gradients of progesterone on different sperm subpopulations.

Publications

Versatile action of picomolar gradients of progesterone on different sperm subpopulations.

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