Lipidomics of equine sperm and seminal plasma: Identification of amphiphilic (O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy-fatty acids.
Abstract: Using a nontargeted lipidomics analysis of equine sperm and seminal plasma, we were able to characterize a diverse array of individual lipids including ethanolamine and choline ether lipids and seminolipids essential to membrane raft function. We also detected, for the first time in sperm, the presence of (O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy-fatty acids (OAHFA) with up to 52 carbon chain lengths, which were localized to the head and not the tail of sperm. The only previous identification of OAHFAs has been in meibomian glands and their sebaceous secretions. The identities of these lipid amphiphiles were validated both by high-resolution mass spectrometry and by tandem mass spectrometry (<1 ppm mass error), which identified the fatty acid (FA) and hydroxy-FA components of individual OAHFAs. The amphiphilic and surfactant properties of these unique lipids could provide an interface between the complex lipid layers of the acrosome and the aqueous environment of the suspending seminal plasma. The potential roles of OAHFAs in orientation of critical proteins in the acrosomal membrane also remain to be explored with these new findings. Another unique finding of our lipidomics study was that phosphatidylethanolamines with mono- or di-unsaturated FA substitutions are present in seminal plasma but not in sperm suggesting a potential role of these glycerophospholipids in sperm capacitation and protecting sperm cells in the female reproductive tract. In summary, we have identified for the first time, the presence of OAHFAs in sperm and several phosphatidylethanolamines in seminal plasma, suggesting that these complex lipids may play critical roles in sperm function.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2016-04-16 PubMed ID: 27180330DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.04.012Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study explored the types of lipids present in equine sperm and seminal plasma, discovering some unique to this environment, and suggesting potential roles for these lipids related to sperm function.
Overview of the Research
- The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of the types of lipids found in horse sperm and seminal plasma, a fluid that carries sperm.
- Their methods included a non-targeted lipidomics analysis, which identifies and measures the lipids in a sample, a method called high-resolution mass spectrometry, which accurately identifies the types of molecules in a sample, and tandem mass spectrometry, which breaks down the molecules for a more detailed analysis.
Ether Lipids and Seminolipids
- Among the lipids found, the researchers identified ethanolamine and choline ether lipids essential to the function of membrane rafts, which are microdomains on the cell membrane that help regulate cellular functions.
- They also found seminolipids, non-polar lipids found in high amounts in the testicles and important for sperm function.
Discovery of OAHFAs
- Unique to this study was the discovery of the presence of (O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy-fatty acids (OAHFAs) in sperm, these lipids are amphiphilic, meaning they can interact with both water and fat, a property helpful for acting as a connective layer between different environments.
- These lipids were located only in the head, not the tail, of the sperm. Previously, OAHFAs have only been found in meibomian glands and their sebaceous secretions, such as tears and skin oils.
Potential Roles of OAHFAs
- The authors speculate that due to their amphiphilic nature, OAHFAs could act as an interface between the complex lipid layers of a part of the sperm head called the acrosome and the watery surrounding seminal plasma.
- Further roles of OAHFAs in determining the orientation of critical proteins in the acrosomal membrane were also suggested, but these remain to be confirmed with further research.
Phosphatidylethanolamines in Seminal Plasma
- Another noteworthy finding was that phosphatidylethanolamines, a class of phospholipids, with mono- or di-unsaturated fatty acid substitutions were found in seminal plasma but not in sperm itself.
- These lipids might have important roles in sperm capacitation, a process that makes sperm able to fertilise an egg, and in protecting sperm cells in the female reproductive tract.
Conclusion
- This study contributes to our understanding of the lipid composition of sperm and seminal plasma, providing new information on the presence and potential functions of certain lipids in this context.
- These insights may open up new areas of study regarding lipid function in sperm, contributing to a bigger understanding of fertility and reproduction.
Cite This Article
APA
Wood PL, Scoggin K, Ball BA, Troedsson MH, Squires EL.
(2016).
Lipidomics of equine sperm and seminal plasma: Identification of amphiphilic (O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy-fatty acids.
Theriogenology, 86(5), 1212-1221.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.04.012 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Metabolomics Unit, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Harrogate, Tennessee; College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tennessee. Electronic address: paul.wood@lmunet.edu.
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Fatty Acids / chemistry
- Horses / physiology
- Lipid Metabolism / physiology
- Male
- Semen / chemistry
- Spermatozoa / chemistry
Citations
This article has been cited 21 times.- Wood PL, Erol E. Construction of a Bacterial Lipidomics Analytical Platform: Pilot Validation with Bovine Paratuberculosis Serum.. Metabolites 2023 Jun 29;13(7).
- Horta Remedios M, Liang W, González LN, Li V, Da Ros VG, Cohen DJ, Zaremberg V. Ether lipids and a peroxisomal riddle in sperm.. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023;11:1166232.
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- Aguiar CS, Barros CHSC, Machado WM, Allaman IB, Leite AO, Barbosa LP, Snoeck PPDN. Effect of different concentrations of Trolox(®) in association with docosahexaenoic acid on equine semen freezing.. Anim Reprod 2022;19(4):e20220010.
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- Mostafa S, Nader N, Machaca K. Lipid Signaling During Gamete Maturation.. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022;10:814876.
- Cao N, Hu C, Xia B, He Y, Huang J, Yuan Z, Deng J, Duan P. The Activated AMPK/mTORC2 Signaling Pathway Associated with Oxidative Stress in Seminal Plasma Contributes to Idiopathic Asthenozoospermia.. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2022;2022:4240490.
- Dyall SC, Balas L, Bazan NG, Brenna JT, Chiang N, da Costa Souza F, Dalli J, Durand T, Galano JM, Lein PJ, Serhan CN, Taha AY. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and fatty acid-derived lipid mediators: Recent advances in the understanding of their biosynthesis, structures, and functions.. Prog Lipid Res 2022 Apr;86:101165.
- Lawson EF, Grupen CG, Baker MA, Aitken RJ, Swegen A, Pollard CL, Gibb Z. Conception and early pregnancy in the mare: lipidomics the unexplored frontier.. Reprod Fertil 2022 Jan 1;3(1):R1-R18.
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- Menezes EB, Velho ALC, Santos F, Dinh T, Kaya A, Topper E, Moura AA, Memili E. Uncovering sperm metabolome to discover biomarkers for bull fertility.. BMC Genomics 2019 Sep 18;20(1):714.
- Wood PL, Donohue MN, Cebak JE, Beckmann TG, Treece M, Johnson JW, Miller LMJ. Tear Film Amphiphilic and Anti-Inflammatory Lipids in Bovine Pink Eye.. Metabolites 2018 Nov 21;8(4).
- Hancock SE, Ailuri R, Marshall DL, Brown SHJ, Saville JT, Narreddula VR, Boase NR, Poad BLJ, Trevitt AJ, Willcox MDP, Kelso MJ, Mitchell TW, Blanksby SJ. Mass spectrometry-directed structure elucidation and total synthesis of ultra-long chain (O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy fatty acids.. J Lipid Res 2018 Aug;59(8):1510-1518.
- Wood PL, Steinman M, Erol E, Carter C, Christmann U, Verma A. Lipidomic analysis of immune activation in equine leptospirosis and Leptospira-vaccinated horses.. PLoS One 2018;13(2):e0193424.
- Wood PL, Siljander H, Knip M. Lipidomics of human umbilical cord serum: identification of unique sterol sulfates.. Future Sci OA 2017 Aug;3(3):FSO193.
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