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PMID: 1701253 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Proenkephalin products are stored in the sperm acrosome and may function in fertilization.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 87 ·No. 23 ·1990-12-00 ·Pages 9143-7

Kew D, Muffly KE, Kilpatrick DL

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that spermatogenic cells are a major source of testicular RNA encoding the opioid peptide precursor proenkephalin, suggesting that proenkephalin-derived peptides may function as intratesticular paracrine factors produced by male germ cells. However, direct evidence for the production of proenkephalin by spermatogenic cells has been lacking. In this report, we have used polysome profile analysis, peptide quantitation, and immunocytochemistry to show that proenkephalin products are synthesized during spermatogenesis and are retained within spermatozoa of humans, hamsters, rats, and sheep. We further show that these peptides are stored in the sperm acrosome and are depleted from sperm following the acrosome reaction, an exocytotic event required for fertilization. Proenkephalin products thus may serve a dual function as sperm acrosomal factors released during the fertilization process as well as intratesticular regulators secreted by spermatogenic cells.

MeSH Terms
Acrosome/metabolism,physiology Animals Antibodies, Monoclonal Cricetinae Enkephalin, Methionine/isolation & purification Enkephalins/analysis,genetics Fertilization Humans Male Poly A/genetics,isolation & purification Polyribosomes/metabolism Protein Precursors/analysis,genetics RNA/genetics,isolation & purification RNA, Messenger Rats Spermatids/metabolism Spermatocytes/metabolism Spermatogenesis Spermatozoa/metabolism Testis/metabolism Transcription, Genetic
Chemicals
Antibodies, Monoclonal Enkephalins Protein Precursors RNA, Messenger proenkephalin Poly A Enkephalin, Methionine RNA
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Kew D
Neurobiology Group, Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.
Muffly K E
Kilpatrick D L
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42 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
0027-8424
DOI
10.1073/pnas.87.23.9143
Published
1990-12-00
Pages
9143-7
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC55120
Subset
IM
Grants
NIDDK NIH HHS · R01 DK36468 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.87.23.9143 PMC Full Text View journal details
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