Pga. Thomas et al., EFFECT OF COCULTURE WITH STALLION SPERMATOZOA ON DE-NOVO PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS AND SECRETION BY EQUINE OVIDUCT EPITHELIAL-CELLS, American journal of veterinary research, 56(12), 1995, pp. 1657-1662
Adhesion of equine spermatozoa to homologous oviduct epithelial cells
(OEC) in vitro results in specific changes in spermatozoa and OEC func
tion. To test the hypothesis that adhesion of spermatozoa affects prot
ein synthesis and secretion by OEC, the following treatment groups wer
e established in culture: OEC with culture medium only; control sperma
tozoa in culture medium only; OEC in coculture with spermatozoa; and O
EC and spermatozoa in coculture, but physically separated by a micropo
rous membrane. The experiment was replicated within each of 4 ejaculat
es from 3 stallions. De novo protein secretion by OEC was measured and
compared by incorporation of [S-35]methionine, and evaluated, using t
wo-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography. Mo
nolayers of OEC secreted a large number of proteins of molecular mass
ranging from 14 to 205 kd. Adhesion of spermatozoa consistently caused
reduced synthesis of 2 OEC secretory proteins and new or increased sy
nthesis of 6 proteins. When spermatozoa and OEC were separated by a mi
croporous membrane, some but not all of these changes were duplicated.
Synthesis of 3 OEC secretory proteins, unaffected by binding of sperm
atozoa, was reduced when spermatozoa were prevented from contact with
OEC by a microporous membrane. Adhesion of equine spermatozoa to homol
ogous OEC monolayers and presence of equine spermatozoa resulted in qu
alitative and quantitative changes in synthesis and secretion of prote
ins by OEC. These changes have implications for storage, longevity, an
d maturation of spermatozoa.