Human sperm motility, capacitation and acrosome reaction are impaired by 2-arachidonoylglycerol endocannabinoid
M.M. Francou1, J.L. Girela1, A. de Juan1, J. Ten1,2, R. Bernabeu2 and J. De Juan1
1Department of Biotechnology, University of Alicante and 2Instituto Bernabeu, Alicante, Spain
Offprint requests to: María Manuela Francou, Department of Biotechnology, University of Alicante, Apdo. Correos 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain. e-mail: manuela.francou@ua.es or Joaquín De Juan Herrero, Department of Biotechnology, University of Alicante, Apdo. Correos 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain. e-mail: jdj@ua.es
Summary. The endocannabinoids are cannabinoids synthesized by mammalian tissues. These compounds are closely related to the regulation of the male reproductive system. However, little is known about the effects produced by 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2AG) on in vitro human sperm functions. This study was undertaken to determine the effects produced by 2AG on fresh human sperm and in the capacitation technique. Semen samples from healthy young men were exposed to different concentrations of 2AG before and during capacitation technique. In this work, we have demonstrated that 2AG induces the spontaneous acrosome reaction and reduces progressive motility in fresh human sperm. During the capacitation technique, sperm becomes more sensitive to low concentrations of 2AG, triggering the acrosome reaction and inhibiting protein phosphorylation. In summary, 2AG affects the in vitro functionality of human sperm by reducing motility, inhibiting capacitation and triggering the acrosome reaction. Histol Histopathol 32, 1351-1358 (2017)
Key words: Arosome reaction, Arachidonoylglycerol, Endocannabinoid, Noladin, Protein phosphorylation
DOI: 10.14670/HH-11-911