MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR STUDIES ON THE FUNCTIONAL EXPRESSION OF SPERM SPECIFIC PROTEIN AND ON THE CARNITINE-DEPENDENT SPERM MATURATION

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I. Functional expression of sperm specific proteins, acrin 1 (MN7), acrin 2 (MC41), acrin 3 (MG101), equatorin (MN9)1) acrin 1 (MN7) : We clarified rganization and modification during sperm maturation in the gunea pig (Yoshinaga et1 al., 2000) and human (Oh-oka et al., 2001).2) acrin 2 (MC41) : We clarified 1) reorganization within the acrosome, during epididymal maturation (Yoshinaga et al., 2001) and 2) that acrin 2 involved in firm binding to zona pellucida after the acrosome reaction (Tanii et al., 2001)3) acrin 3 (MC101) : We have analyzed that acrin 3 is functionally involved in the process after the acrosome reaction but before penetration into the zona pellucida (Saxena et al., 2000).4) equatorin (MH9) : We have clarified 1) that equatorin is involved in sperm-egg fusion process by translocating to the plasma membrane at the equatorial segment after the acrosome reaction (Manandhar and Toshimori, 2001) and 2) that equatrorin also functions under in vivo condition (Yoshinaga et al., 2001).II. Functional expression and molecular modification of sperm flagellar proteins MC31/CE9 and basigin1) We have clarified 1) MC31/GE9, expression at gene level using in situ hybridization (Wakayama et al., 2000), and 2) mouse basigin is involved in binding to zona pellucida after translocating to the anterior head region (Saxena et al., 2002). 3) We have reviewed the relationship between immunoglobulin superfamily protein and fertilization (Toshimori et al., 2000).III. Relationship between carnitine and sperm maturation/infertility (obstructive azoospermia)We made two specific antisera (H256 and K266), by which we are accumulating the expression of carnitine transporter in the testis, kidney and pancreas.