Human Reproduction, Vol. 18, No. 1, 100-107,
January 2003
© 2003 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
17ß-Estradiol and environmental estrogens significantly affect mammalian sperm function*
Centre for Reproduction, Endocrinology and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK 1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Centre for Reproduction, Endocrinology and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, London Bridge, London SE1 1UL, UK. e-mail: lynn.fraser{at}kcl.ac.uk
*Presented in part at the 18th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 2002, Vienna, Austria
BACKGROUND: Compounds with estrogenic activity can affect reproductive function in mammals. This study investigated possible effects of 17ß-estradiol (E2) and three weakly estrogenic environmental estrogens on mammalian sperm capacitation and fertilizing ability in vitro. METHODS: Uncapacitated and capacitated mouse sperm suspensions were incubated for 30 min in the presence of E2, genistein (Gen), 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) and nonylphenol (NP), and then assessed using chlortetracycline (CTC) fluorescence analysis. In addition, treated uncapacitated sperm suspensions were tested for changes in fertilizing ability. RESULTS: In uncapacitated cells, E2 at 
1 µmol/l and Gen, 8-PN and NP at 0.001 µmol/l, significantly stimulated capacitation and acrosome reactions. Hydroxytamoxifen (an estrogen antagonist) did not inhibit responses to any of these compounds. In capacitated cells, E2 had no effect, but the other three compounds significantly stimulated acrosome reactions. Added to uncapacitated suspensions, 10 µmol/l E2, 0.1 µmol/l Gen and 0.1 µmol/l 8-PN all significantly stimulated sperm fertilizing ability (
76% oocytes fertilized) compared with untreated control sperm (36%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first evidence that E2 and environmental estrogens can significantly stimulate mammalian sperm capacitation, acrosome reactions and fertilizing ability, with the environmental estrogens being much more potent than E2. The inability of hydroxytamoxifen to block these responses suggests that classical estrogen receptors may not be involved. Whether these responses have effects on fertility in vivo remains to be determined, along with the mechanisms of action involved.
Key words: capacitation/fertilizing ability/genistein/nonylphenol/8-prenylnaringenin
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  D. Madhukar and S. Rajender Hormonal Treatment of Male Infertility: Promises and Pitfalls J Androl, March 1, 2009; 30(2): 95 - 112. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. E. Chavarro, T. L. Toth, S. M. Sadio, and R. Hauser Soy food and isoflavone intake in relation to semen quality parameters among men from an infertility clinic Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2008; 23(11): 2584 - 2590. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Enokizono, H. Kusuhara, and Y. Sugiyama Effect of Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (Bcrp/Abcg2) on the Disposition of Phytoestrogens Mol. Pharmacol., October 1, 2007; 72(4): 967 - 975. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Xia, D. Reigada, C. H Mitchell, and D. Ren CATSPER Channel-Mediated Ca2+ Entry into Mouse Sperm Triggers a Tail-to-Head Propagation Biol Reprod, September 1, 2007; 77(3): 551 - 559. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. Rossi, V. Gasperi, R. Paro, D. Barsacchi, S. Cecconi, and M. Maccarrone Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Activates Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase by Protein Kinase A and Aromatase-Dependent Pathways in Mouse Primary Sertoli Cells Endocrinology, March 1, 2007; 148(3): 1431 - 1439. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. K. Naz and R. Sellamuthu Receptors in Spermatozoa: Are They Real? J Androl, September 1, 2006; 27(5): 627 - 636. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. R. Fraser, E. Beyret, S. R. Milligan, and S. A. Adeoya-Osiguwa Effects of estrogenic xenobiotics on human and mouse spermatozoa Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2006; 21(5): 1184 - 1193. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Solakidi, A-M.G. Psarra, S. Nikolaropoulos, and C.E. Sekeris Estrogen receptors {alpha} and {beta} (ER{alpha} and ER{beta}) and androgen receptor (AR) in human sperm: localization of ER{beta} and AR in mitochondria of the midpiece Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2005; 20(12): 3481 - 3487. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Aravindakshan and D. G. Cyr Nonylphenol Alters Connexin 43 Levels and Connexin 43 Phosphorylation Via an Inhibition of the p38-Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway Biol Reprod, May 1, 2005; 72(5): 1232 - 1240. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Aquila, D. Sisci, M. Gentile, E. Middea, S. Catalano, A. Carpino, V. Rago, and S. Ando Estrogen Receptor (ER){alpha} and ER{beta} Are Both Expressed in Human Ejaculated Spermatozoa: Evidence of Their Direct Interaction with Phosphatidylinositol-3-OH Kinase/Akt Pathway J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2004; 89(3): 1443 - 1451. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. Nikolic, Y. Li, L. R. Chadwick, S. Grubjesic, P. Schwab, P. Metz, and R. B. van Breemen METABOLISM OF 8-PRENYLNARINGENIN, A POTENT PHYTOESTROGEN FROM HOPS (HUMULUS LUPULUS), BY HUMAN LIVER MICROSOMES Drug Metab. Dispos., February 1, 2004; 32(2): 272 - 279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. A. Adeoya-Osiguwa and L. R. Fraser Environmental estrogens and sperm function Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2004; 19(1): 216 - 217. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Ando Reply: environmental estrogens and sperm function Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2004; 19(1): 217 - 217. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Aquila, D. Sisci, M. Gentile, A. Carpino, E. Middea, S. Catalano, V. Rago, and S. Ando Towards a physiological role for cytochrome P450 aromatase in ejaculated human sperm Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2003; 18(8): 1650 - 1659. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|