FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Theriogenology / Expression, localization, and concentration of A-kinase anch...
Theriogenology2019; 131; 52-60; doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.03.011

Expression, localization, and concentration of A-kinase anchor protein 4 (AKAP4) and its precursor (proAKAP4) in equine semen: Promising marker correlated to the total and progressive motility in thawed spermatozoa.

Abstract: A-kinase anchor protein 4 (AKAP4) is playing a central role in flagellar structure, chemotaxis, capacitation and sperm motility. In mammals, AKAP4 is expressed during spermatogenesis. AKAP4 is synthesized as a precursor, proAKAP4, which is cleaved into mature AKAP4 during fibrous sheath assembly. The proAKAP4 is a good indicator of sperm quality in humans and boars. The aims of this work were to study the expression, the localization and the concentration of proAKAP4 and AKAP4 in equine semen, and to evaluate the possible correlation between the total and progressive motility and the concentration of proAKAP4 measured by ELISA in post-thawed semen. Frozen sperm from 13 different stallions were used. Semen samples (n = 17) were prepared using the INRA Freeze medium to reach a concentration of 150 million spermatozoa/mL, packaged and frozen in 0.5 mL straws. The precursor proAKAP4 and the mature protein AKAP4 both localize to the fibrous sheath of the principle piece of equine sperm flagellum. The concentrations of proAKAP4 were determined in the post-thawed semen using ELISA method (Horse 4MID kits, 4BioDx, France). The mean concentration of proAKAP4 was then of 7.372 ± 0.79 ng/μL and was significantly correlated with the post-thawed total motility (Pearson coefficient r = 0.66, p = 0.002) and progressive motility (Pearson coefficient r = 0.76, p = 0.0002) and the amount of proAKAP4 represent the amount of spermatozoa that expressed proAKAP4. Taken together, these preliminary results confirm the interest to use proAKAP4 concentrations as a promising marker of stallion sperm quality as close correlation was observed between the proAKAP4 concentration and sperm motility parameters.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2019-03-21 PubMed ID: 30947075DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.03.011Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research is a study investigating the expression, localization, and concentration of the proteins AKAP4 and proAKAP4 in horse semen, their correlation with sperm motility, and the potential of proAKAP4 as an indicator of sperm quality.

Understanding AKAP4 and proAKAP4

  • The A-kinase anchor protein 4 (AKAP4) is a protein that is crucial for the functions of sperm, including its structure, chemotaxis (the movement directed by chemical stimuli), capacitation (the final maturation stage of a spermatozoon in the female genital tract), and motility (movement).
  • During spermatogenesis (the process of sperm cell development), AKAP4 is expressed, and it is synthesized as a precursor protein called proAKAP4. ProAKAP4 is then cleaved, or split, to form the mature AKAP4 protein during the assembly of the fibrous sheath, a major component of the structure of a sperm cell.
  • In humans and boars, existing research has found that proAKAP4 is a good gauge of sperm quality. This study aims to explore if the same holds true in horses.

The Research Methodology

  • For the study, the researchers used frozen sperm from 13 different horses. The semen samples were prepared using a specific medium, frozen, and then thawed for analysis.
  • The researchers measured the concentrations of proAKAP4 in the post-thawed semen using an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method, which is a test that measures the immune response in the body.
  • The researchers also analyzed how proAKAP4 and AKAP4 are expressed and located in the sperm cell processes, particularly in the fibrous sheath of the principle piece of the sperm flagellum (tail).

Findings and Implications

  • Through analysis, the researchers found that the mean concentration of proAKAP4 was significantly associated with the total motility and progressive motility of the thawed sperm.
  • They also discovered that the amount of proAKAP4 is reflective of the amount of sperm cells that expressed proAKAP4.
  • These preliminary findings suggest that proAKAP4 might be a useful marker for assessing the quality of stallion sperm, due to the observed correlation between the protein’s concentration and sperm motility parameters.
  • This study’s results may have implications in breeding and veterinary practices, potentially assisting in improving the effectiveness of reproduction efforts for horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Blommaert D, Sergeant N, Delehedde M, Jouy N, Mitchell V, Franck T, Donnay I, Lejeune JP, Serteyn D. (2019). Expression, localization, and concentration of A-kinase anchor protein 4 (AKAP4) and its precursor (proAKAP4) in equine semen: Promising marker correlated to the total and progressive motility in thawed spermatozoa. Theriogenology, 131, 52-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.03.011

Publication

Theriogenology
ISSN: 1879-3231
NlmUniqueID: 0421510
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 131
Pages: 52-60
PII: S0093-691X(18)30710-6

Researcher Affiliations

Blommaert, D
  • LINALUX-MLS, Centre Européen du Cheval, Mont-le-Soie, 1, Vielsalm, 6698, Belgium.
Sergeant, N
  • SPQI - 4BioDx, 1, Place de Verdun, 59045, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, Inserm UMRS 1172, Place de Verdun, 59045, Lille, France.
Delehedde, M
  • SPQI - 4BioDx, 1, Place de Verdun, 59045, Lille, France.
Jouy, N
  • Univ. Lille, Plateau de Cytométrie, Place de Verdun, 59045, Lille, France.
Mitchell, V
  • SPQI - 4BioDx, 1, Place de Verdun, 59045, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, EA4308, 59045, Lille, France.
Franck, T
  • Center for Oxygen Research and Development (CORD), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: t.franck@uliege.be.
Donnay, I
  • Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium.
Lejeune, J P
  • LINALUX-MLS, Centre Européen du Cheval, Mont-le-Soie, 1, Vielsalm, 6698, Belgium.
Serteyn, D
  • LINALUX-MLS, Centre Européen du Cheval, Mont-le-Soie, 1, Vielsalm, 6698, Belgium; Equine Clinic, Veterinary Medicine Faculty, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.

MeSH Terms

  • A Kinase Anchor Proteins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cryopreservation / veterinary
  • Horses
  • Semen / metabolism
  • Sperm Motility

Citations

This article has been cited 26 times.
  1. Gardela J, Ruiz-Conca M, Palomares A, Olvera-Maneu S, García-Calvo L, López-Béjar M, Martínez-Pastor F, Álvarez-Rodríguez M. Effect of Honey, Coenzyme Q10, and β-Carotene/α-Tocopherol as Novel Additives in Rabbit-Sperm Cryopreservation Extender. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jul 24;13(14).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13142392pubmed: 37508170google scholar: lookup
  2. Ďuračka M, Benko F, Tvrdá E. Molecular Markers: A New Paradigm in the Prediction of Sperm Freezability. Int J Mol Sci 2023 Feb 8;24(4).
    doi: 10.3390/ijms24043379pubmed: 36834790google scholar: lookup
  3. Dordas-Perpinyà M, Yanez-Ortiz I, Sergeant N, Mevel V, Bruyas JF, Catalán J, Delehedde M, Briand-Amirat L, Miró J. ProAKAP4 Concentration Is Related to Sperm Motility and Motile Sperm Subpopulations in Frozen-Thawed Horse Semen. Animals (Basel) 2022 Dec 4;12(23).
    doi: 10.3390/ani12233417pubmed: 36496938google scholar: lookup
  4. Su Y, Ding J, Yang F, He C, Xu Y, Zhu X, Zhou H, Li H. The regulatory role of PDE4B in the progression of inflammatory function study. Front Pharmacol 2022;13:982130.
    doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.982130pubmed: 36278172google scholar: lookup
  5. Boersma A, Primus J, Wagner B, Broukal V, Andersen L, Pachner B, Dahlhoff M, Rülicke T, Auer KE. Influence of sperm cryopreservation on sperm motility and proAKAP4 concentration in mice. Reprod Med Biol 2022 Jan-Dec;21(1):e12480.
    doi: 10.1002/rmb2.12480pubmed: 35919386google scholar: lookup
  6. Dordas-Perpinyà M, Sergeant N, Ruelle I, Bruyas JF, Charreaux F, Michaud S, Carracedo S, Catalán J, Miró J, Delehedde M, Briand-Amirat L. ProAKAP4 Semen Concentrations as a Valuable Marker Protein of Post-Thawed Semen Quality and Bull Fertility: A Retrospective Study. Vet Sci 2022 May 6;9(5).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci9050224pubmed: 35622752google scholar: lookup
  7. Kowalczyk A, Gałęska E, Bubel A. The Concentration of ProAKAP4 and Other Indicators of Cryopotential of Spermatozoa Cryopreserved in Extender with Holothuroidea Extract Addition. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 20;12(4).
    doi: 10.3390/ani12040521pubmed: 35203229google scholar: lookup
  8. Malo C, Carracedo S, Delehedde M, Sergeant N, Skidmore JA. Identification of proAKAP4 concentration variations in dromedary sperm and their correlation with monthly semen parameters. Reprod Fertil 2021 Dec;2(4):268-279.
    doi: 10.1530/RAF-21-0055pubmed: 35118404google scholar: lookup
  9. Xu Y, Han Q, Ma C, Wang Y, Zhang P, Li C, Cheng X, Xu H. Comparative Proteomics and Phosphoproteomics Analysis Reveal the Possible Breed Difference in Yorkshire and Duroc Boar Spermatozoa. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021;9:652809.
    doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.652809pubmed: 34336820google scholar: lookup
  10. F Riesco M, Anel-Lopez L, Neila-Montero M, Palacin-Martinez C, Montes-Garrido R, Alvarez M, de Paz P, Anel L. ProAKAP4 as Novel Molecular Marker of Sperm Quality in Ram: An Integrative Study in Fresh, Cooled and Cryopreserved Sperm. Biomolecules 2020 Jul 14;10(7).
    doi: 10.3390/biom10071046pubmed: 32674525google scholar: lookup
  11. Nixon B, Bernstein IR, Cafe SL, Delehedde M, Sergeant N, Anderson AL, Trigg NA, Eamens AL, Lord T, Dun MD, De Iuliis GN, Bromfield EG. A Kinase Anchor Protein 4 Is Vulnerable to Oxidative Adduction in Male Germ Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019;7:319.
    doi: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00319pubmed: 31921838google scholar: lookup
  12. Eser A, Alakuş A, Bağcı K, Cihangiroğlu AÇ, Yağcıoğlu S, Arıcı R, Demir K. Precursor A-Kinase Anchor Protein 4 as a Predictive Biomarker of Post-Thaw Semen Quality in Goats. Vet Sci 2025 Oct 16;12(10).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci12101003pubmed: 41150143google scholar: lookup
  13. Ullah A, Chen W, Shi L, Wang M, Geng M, Na J, Akhtar MF, Khan MZ, Wang C. Challenges and Enhancing Strategies of Equine Semen Preservation: Nutritional and Genetic Perspectives. Vet Sci 2025 Aug 25;12(9).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci12090807pubmed: 41012733google scholar: lookup
  14. Castro M, Leal K, Pezo F, Contreras MJ. Sperm Membrane: Molecular Implications and Strategies for Cryopreservation in Productive Species. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jun 19;15(12).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15121808pubmed: 40564358google scholar: lookup
  15. Bencharif D, Belala R, Mimoune N, Le Couazer D, Farnia H. ProAKAP4 concentration in fresh canine semen and its correlation with motility parameters. Vet Anim Sci 2025 Jun;28:100455.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2025.100455pubmed: 40343160google scholar: lookup
  16. Sutovsky P, Zelenkova N, Postlerova P, Zigo M. Proteostasis as a Sentry for Sperm Quality and Male Fertility. Adv Exp Med Biol 2025;1469:273-303.
    doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-82990-1_12pubmed: 40301261google scholar: lookup
  17. Pardede BP, Setyawan EMN, Said S, Kusumawati A, Purwantara B, Pangestu M, Memili E. A-Kinase Anchor Protein 4 (proAKAP4): Protein Molecule-Based Fertility Marker of Indonesian Dairy Bull and Its Correlation With Frozen-Thawed Sperm Quality. Vet Med Int 2025;2025:8367714.
    doi: 10.1155/vmi/8367714pubmed: 40041135google scholar: lookup
  18. Khan MZ, Chen W, Naz S, Liu X, Liang H, Chen Y, Kou X, Liu Y, Ashraf I, Han Y, Peng Y, Wang C, Zahoor M. Determinant genetic markers of semen quality in livestock. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024;15:1456305.
    doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1456305pubmed: 39429738google scholar: lookup
  19. Bastan İ, Korkmaz F, Şahin D, Şimşek S, Kaya U. Assessing the Relationship between proAKAP4 Level and Longevity of Sexed Sperm Quality after Thawing. Vet Sci 2024 Sep 21;11(9).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci11090444pubmed: 39330823google scholar: lookup
  20. Ren H, Wen X, He Q, Yi M, Dugarjaviin M, Bou G. Comparative Study on the Sperm Proteomes of Horses and Donkeys. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jul 31;14(15).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14152237pubmed: 39123763google scholar: lookup
  21. Suo J, Wang J, Zheng Y, Xiao F, Li R, Huang F, Niu P, Zhu W, Du X, He J, Gao Q, Khan A. Recent advances in cryotolerance biomarkers for semen preservation in frozen form-A systematic review. PLoS One 2024;19(5):e0303567.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303567pubmed: 38776323google scholar: lookup
  22. Dordas-Perpinyà M, Yánez-Ortiz I, Sergeant N, Mevel V, Catalán J, Bruyas JF, Miró J, Briand-Amirat L. ProAKAP4 as Indicator of Long-Lasting Motility Marker in Post-Thaw Conditions in Stallions. Animals (Basel) 2024 Apr 23;14(9).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14091264pubmed: 38731267google scholar: lookup
  23. Sutovsky P, Hamilton LE, Zigo M, Ortiz D'Avila Assumpção ME, Jones A, Tirpak F, Agca Y, Kerns K, Sutovsky M. Biomarker-based human and animal sperm phenotyping: the good, the bad and the ugly†. Biol Reprod 2024 Jun 12;110(6):1135-1156.
    doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioae061pubmed: 38640912google scholar: lookup
  24. Al-Kass Z, Morrell JM. Freezing Stallion Semen-What Do We Need to Focus on for the Future?. Vet Sci 2024 Feb 2;11(2).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci11020065pubmed: 38393083google scholar: lookup
  25. Rajawat D, Panigrahi M, Nayak SS, Bhushan B, Mishra BP, Dutt T. Dissecting the genomic regions of selection on the X chromosome in different cattle breeds. 3 Biotech 2024 Feb;14(2):50.
    doi: 10.1007/s13205-023-03905-4pubmed: 38268984google scholar: lookup
  26. Rosyada ZNA, Pardede BP, Kaiin EM, Gunawan M, Maulana T, Said S, Tumbelaka LITA, Solihin DD, Ulum MF, Purwantara B. A proteomic approach to identifying spermatozoa proteins in Indonesian native Madura bulls. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1287676.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1287676pubmed: 38111731google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,030 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.