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Human Reproduction, Vol. 18, No. 8, 1650-1659, August 2003
© 2003 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Towards a physiological role for cytochrome P450 aromatase in ejaculated human sperm

Saveria Aquila1, Diego Sisci2, Mariaelena Gentile1, Amalia Carpino3, Emilia Middea1, Stefania Catalano1, Vittoria Rago3 and Sebastiano Andò2,4

1 Centro Sanitario, 2 Faculty of Pharmacy and 3 Department of Cell Biology University of Calabria 87030 Arcavacata di Rende, Cosenza, Italy

4 To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: sebastiano.ando{at}unical.it

BACKGROUND: Advances in the definition of the function and the mechanism of estrogen action in different tissues have come from human and animal models of estrogen insufficiency. Recently we have demonstrated that aromatase is present and biologically active in human ejaculated sperm, suggesting that autonomous estradiol sperm production may influence sperm functions. In the present study we investigate a possible physiological role for enzymatically active P450 aromatase in human ejaculated sperm. METHODS AND RESULTS: To confirm the presence of mRNA coding for P450 aromatase, total RNA isolated from human sperm underwent RT–PCR and then Southern blot analysis. In non-capacitating medium, we observed that only estradiol and aromatizable steroids were able to increase sperm motility/migration; concomitantly they enhanced protein tyrosine phosphorylation and increased p-44/42 extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity. When we tested acrosin activity, it emerged that estradiol and aromatizable androgens were also able to induce the acrosome reaction evaluated by two different cytological staining techniques (triple-stain and fluorescein isothiocyanate–Pisum sativum agglutinin). All these events were enhanced by the 2'-O-dibutyryladenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and inhibited in the presence of the specific aromatase inhibitor, letrozole. CONCLUSIONS: From this study, it appears that a link exists between the locally produced estradiol (from ejaculated sperm), sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction. The induction of both events by aromatizable androgens in the absence of exogenous mediators suggests that estrogen biosynthesis in ejaculated sperm is a process that may influence the intrinsic sperm fertilizing capability.

Key words: acrosome reaction/aromatizable androgens/cytochrome P450 aromatase/ejaculated sperm/estrogen


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