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Inhibition of human sperm-zona-free hamster oocyte binding and penetration by protein C inhibitor
- Source :
- Andrologia. 31:217-223
- Publication Year :
- 1999
- Publisher :
- Hindawi Limited, 1999.
-
Abstract
- Protein C inhibitor is a heparin-dependent serine protease inhibitor present in plasma at about 0.08 mumol l-1. Protein C inhibitor inhibits activated protein C and other coagulation factors. Previously, we described the presence of high protein C inhibitor levels in human semen (3.1 mumol l-1) and showed potential roles of the inhibitor in human reproduction. Here, we show that protein C inhibitor is present in an active form in follicular fluid at about 0.1 mumol l-1 and that purified, functionally active human plasma-derived and inactive, semen-derived protein C inhibitor and a synthetic peptide derived from its sequence inhibited both binding and penetration of zona-free hamster oocytes by human sperm. The binding inhibition by protein C inhibitor was dose dependent, with 50% inhibition at 0.037 mumol l-1 inhibitor (45 +/- 17 sperm per egg versus 90 +/- 23 in control experiments). The inhibitor also blocked in a dose-dependent manner the penetration of zona-free hamster eggs by human sperm (20 +/- 7% fertilized eggs at 0.1 mumol l-1 protein C inhibitor versus 55 +/- 10% in control experiments). Polyclonal antiprotein C inhibitor or antipeptide antibodies partially abolished the effect of protein C inhibitor and peptide on the inhibition of the binding and penetration of zona-free hamster oocytes by human sperm. The effect of the protein C inhibitor was not dependent on its antiprotease activity since purified semen-derived protein C inhibitor which did not have antiprotease activity gave comparable results. We conclude that protein C inhibitor may be involved in human reproduction at several steps, including the fertilization process.
- Subjects :
- Male
Urology
Protein C inhibitor
Hamster
Peptide
In Vitro Techniques
Endocrinology
Cricetinae
medicine
Animals
Humans
Amino Acid Sequence
Peptide sequence
Zona Pellucida
Protein C Inhibitor
Sperm-Ovum Interactions
chemistry.chemical_classification
Serine protease
Mesocricetus
biology
General Medicine
biology.organism_classification
Sperm
Molecular biology
Peptide Fragments
chemistry
Immunology
Oocytes
biology.protein
Female
Protein C
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14390272 and 03034569
- Volume :
- 31
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Andrologia
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....d9c4365141c0374c1338656727a7452a