Effect of protein acetylation on capacitation of stallion sperm.
Abstract: Sperm capacitation is considered the main factor limiting conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) in horses. A recent scientific breakthrough in sperm processing for IVF in horses has resulted in embryos and foals being produced; however, various aspects of the IVF process remain to be fully elucidated. Lysine acetylation has been shown to play a role in sperm capacitation in several species and the objective of this study was to detect and evaluate this process in the horse. Ejaculates of two stallions were collected and incubated in different conditions with deacetylase inhibitors to induce a hyperacetylation state. Although lysine acetylation was successfully detected in all experimental groups, sperm hyperacetylation could not be induced following incubation with deacetylase inhibitors. In addition, no hyperactivation was detected by kinematic sperm evaluation and tyrosine phosphorylation increased only in the positive control group. Treatments with high doses of deacetylase inhibitors increased acrosome reaction indicating a possible connection between induction of acrosome reaction and protein acetylation. Future studies investigating the effect of longer incubation periods with different doses of deacetylase inhibitors are warranted to elucidate the ability of protein acetylation to induce capacitation of stallion sperm.
Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2024-09-18 PubMed ID: 39303872DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105195Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article looks at the effect of protein acetylation on the fertilization capabilities of stallion sperm – a significant factor that impacts conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) success rate in horses.
Understanding Sperm Capacitation and Protein Acetylation
- Sperm capacitation is a transformation that sperm undergo inside the female reproductive tract that allows them to fertilize an egg, and usually serves as a limiting factor in the success of conventional IVF procedures in horses.
- Protein acetylation, specifically lysine acetylation, has shown potential in boosting sperm capacitation in several species, which could theoretically enhance the IVF success rate in horses.
- This study aimed to understand the role and effect of this process – protein acetylation – in the capacitation of stallion sperm.
Research Methodology and Findings
- The study was executed by collecting ejaculates from two stallions and incubating them under different conditions with deacetylase inhibitors to artificially induce a state of hyperacetylation.
- Even though lysine acetylation was confirmed in all test groups, the researchers could not trigger the expected hyperacetylation in horse sperm by incubation with these inhibitors.
- The kinematic evaluation of treated sperm did not reveal any hyperactivation, a state characterised by intense sperm movement, and increased phosphorylation was observed only in the positive control group.
- It was noted that treatment with high doses of deacetylase inhibitors increased acrosome reaction, suggesting a relationship between protein acetylation and the acrosome reaction, which is crucial for the sperm to penetrate an egg.
Implication and Future Recommendations
- The research findings suggest a complex interplay exists between protein acetylation and sperm capacitation in stallions, which does not pivot on simply inducing hyperacetylation.
- This study also indicates that high doses of deacetylase inhibitors may play a role in inducing the acrosome reaction, a key step in successful fertilization.
- While this study provides important insights, further research is warranted to understand protein acetylation’s full impact on stallion sperm capacitation, including the exploration of longer incubation periods and varied doses of deacetylase inhibitors.
Cite This Article
APA
Aguiar LH, Pinto CRF.
(2024).
Effect of protein acetylation on capacitation of stallion sperm.
J Equine Vet Sci, 142, 105195.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105195 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Author's current address: Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Author's current address: Department of Ambulatory Medicine and Theriogenology, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, Woodstock, CT, USA. Electronic address: carlos.pinto@tufts.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Male
- Acetylation / drug effects
- Sperm Capacitation / drug effects
- Spermatozoa / drug effects
- Spermatozoa / metabolism
- Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / pharmacology
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest No competing interest has been declared
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