STEROID-INITIATED EXOCYTOSIS IN SPERM

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DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Investigator's Abstract): Research in this three-times revised proposal is aimed at understanding the molecular steps involved in the initiation of the human sperm acrosome reaction. Progesterone secreted by follicular cells of the cumulus oophorus, is regarded as an in vivo acrosome reaction initiator by interacting with sperm membrane receptors to trigger an influx of Ca2+ and an efflux of Cl-. In addition, progesterone or a 3a-OH progesterone metabolite may bind or activate a unique human sperm GABAA-like receptor Cl- channel as well as bind to a receptor for a Ca2+ channel. The possibility exists that progesterone binds to one receptor/channel site and then activate the other receptor/channel by cross-talk. The application includes a series of studies concerned with the receptors, channels and ionic interactions through which progesterone initiates the human sperm acrosome reaction. The proposed specific aims will determine first whether a sperm GABAA-like receptor/Cl- channel is involved in progesterone-mediated Cl- efflux by using pharmacological agents which will determine differences between sperm and neuronal GABAA-like receptor/Cl-channels. A second aim is to determine which region of the sperm head the progesterone-mediated cytosolic Cl- efflux through the steroid receptor/Cl-channel begins during acrosome reaction. A third aim is to use available monoclonal antibodies against domains of the intracellular progesterone receptor and neuronal GABAA-like receptor/Cl- channel subunits to identify and further characterize the human sperm progesterone receptor(s). A fourth aim is to compare the effect of progesterone stereo isomers on Cl- and Ca2- flux to determine whether two separate progesterone receptors operate to elicit ion fluxes. A fifth aim is to determine whether human sperm can convert progesterone into an 3a-hydroxy metabolite known to activate neuronal GABAA-like receptor/Cl- channels and able to initiate the human acrosome reaction. A sixth aim is to determine whether Cl- efflux mediated by the GABAA-like receptor/Cl- channel controls progesterone-mediated Ca2+ influx. Finally, a seventh aim will use immunoelectron microscopy to determine the distribution of the human progesterone receptor(s) and human sperm GABAA-like receptor/Cl- channel at a high resolution level.