Effect of Astaxanthin on Human Sperm Capacitation

Marine Drugs

Gabriella Donಠ Ivana Kožuh²  Anna Maria Brunati²  Alessandra Andrisani³  Guido Ambrosini³  Guglielmo Bonanni⁴  Eugenio Ragazzi¹  Decio Armanini⁴  Giulio Clari² 

[1] Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova 35131, Italy; E-Mail:;Department of Molecular Medicine-Biological Chemistry, University of Padova, Padova 35131, Italy; E-Mails:;Department of Women’s and Chilren’s Health, University of Padova, Padova 35131, Italy; E-Mails:;Department of Medicine—Endocrinology, University of Padova, Padova 35131, Italy; E-Mails:

关键词: human sperm;    astaxanthin;    Tyr-phosphorylation;    acrosome reaction;   

DOI  :  10.3390/md11061909

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

In order to be able to fertilize oocytes, human sperm must undergo a series of morphological and structural alterations, known as capacitation. It has been shown that the production of endogenous sperm reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a key role in causing cells to undergo a massive acrosome reaction (AR). Astaxanthin (Asta), a photo-protective red pigment belonging to the carotenoid family, is recognized as having anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties and is present in many dietary supplements. This study evaluates the effect of Asta in a capacitating buffer which induces low ROS production and low percentages of acrosome-reacted cells (ARC). Sperm cells were incubated in the presence or absence of increasing concentrations of Asta or diamide (Diam) and analyzed for their ROS production, Tyr-phosphorylation (Tyr-P) pattern and percentages of ARC and non-viable cells (NVC). Results show that Asta ameliorated both sperm head Tyr-P and ARC values without affecting the ROS generation curve, whereas Diam succeeded in enhancing the Tyr-P level but only of the flagellum without increasing ARC values. It is suggested that Asta can be inserted in the membrane and therefore create capacitation-like membrane alteration which allow Tyr-P of the head. Once this has occurred, AR can take place and involves a higher numbers of cells.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.