Metabolites involved in cellular communication among human cumulus-oocyte-complex and sperm during in vitro fertilization

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology

Manuel Avilés³  Rafael Bernabeu¹  Jorge Ten¹  Leopoldo González-Brusi³  María Savirón⁵  Jesús Orduna⁵  Ángel Gil-Izquierdo²  María José Izquierdo-Rico³  Sonia Medina²  Jaime Guerrero¹  Eva María García¹  María José Gómez-Torres⁴ 

[1] Instituto Bernabeu of Fertility and Gynecology, Alicante 03016, Spain;Research Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Food Science and Technology Department, CEBAS-CSIC, Espinardo (Murcia), Spain;Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus Mare Nostrum, Espinardo 30100 and IMIB, Murcia, Spain;Department of Biotechnology, University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente s/n, Alicante 03016, Spain;Institute of Materials Science of Aragon, CSIC-University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, 50009, Spain

关键词: Metabolomics;    Phytosphingosine;    Lysophosphatidylcholine;    Acrosome reaction;    Cumulus cells;   

Others  :  1233940
DOI  :  10.1186/s12958-015-0118-9

 received in 2015-05-28, accepted in 2015-10-22,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

Fertilization is a key physiological process for the preservation of the species. Consequently, different mechanisms affecting the sperm and the oocyte have been developed to ensure a successful fertilization. Thus, sperm acrosome reaction is necessary for the egg coat penetration and sperm-oolema fusion. Several molecules are able to induce the sperm acrosome reaction; however, this process should be produced coordinately in time and in the space to allow the success of fertilization between gametes.

The goal of this study was to analyze the metabolites secreted by cumulus-oocyte-complex (COC) to find out new components that could contribute to the induction of the human sperm acrosome reaction and other physiological processes at the time of gamete interaction and fertilization.

Methods

For the metabolomic analysis, eighteen aliquots of medium were used in each group, containing: a) only COC before insemination and after 3 h of incubation; b) COC and capacitated spermatozoa after insemination and incubated for 16–20 hours; c) only capacitated sperm after 16–20 h in culture and d) only fertilization medium as control. Six patients undergoing assisted reproduction whose male partners provided normozoospermic samples were included in the study. Seventy-two COC were inseminated.

Results

The metabolites identified were monoacylglycerol (MAG), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and phytosphingosine (PHS). Analysis by PCR and in silico of the gene expression strongly suggests that the cumulus cells contribute to the formation of the PHS and LPC.

Conclusions

LPC and PHS are secreted by cumulus cells during in vitro fertilization and they could be involved in the induction of human acrosome reaction (AR). The identification of new molecules with a paracrine effect on oocytes, cumulus cells and spermatozoa will provide a better understanding of gamete interaction.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Gómez-Torres et al.

【 图 表 】

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