Involvement of carbohydrate molecules on zona pellucida in human fertilization

J Reprod Immunol. 2002 Jan;53(1-2):79-89. doi: 10.1016/s0165-0378(01)00096-1.

Abstract

Although the involvement of several receptors and ligand molecules in sperm-zona interaction in many species have been proposed, there has been a little analysis of the kinetics between these molecules during the interaction. In the present study, we applied the detection method using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) by a BIAcore apparatus for the analysis of the putative receptor-ligand interaction of sperm-egg binding. Mannose-BSA or [man](5)-[GlcNAc](2)-Asp was immobilized on the surface of a sensor chip. When concanavalin A (Con A) was delivered to each of two different sensor chips to evaluate their usefulness, the resonance signal after sample injection onto a [man](5)-[GlcNAc](2)-Asp-fixed chip decreased rapidly than the mannose-BSA-fixed chip. However, the amount of binding for Con A during the injection onto the [man](5)-[GlcNAc](2)-Asp-fixed chip was high. When acid sperm extracts (acid extracts) and fractions through a CM column, containing protease activity (protease fractions), were delivered to the mannose-BSA-fixed chip, the SPR signal during the injection was not obviously changed compared with that of the control. However, when sperm samples were delivered to the [man](5)-[GlcNAc](2)-Asp-fixed chip, the SPR response during the injection was enormous. These results suggest that the [man](5)-[GlcNAc](2)-Asp-fixed chip is more useful than the mannose-BSA-fixed chip for investigating the interactions with sperm extracts and that the sensitive method using SPR by a BIAcore apparatus is applicable for the analysis of the putative receptor-ligand interaction of sperm-egg binding.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Carbohydrates / chemistry
  • Carbohydrates / physiology*
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology
  • Cattle
  • Female
  • Fertilization / physiology*
  • Glycoconjugates
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Male
  • Mannose
  • Mannose-Binding Lectins
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Serum Albumin
  • Sperm-Ovum Interactions / physiology
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance
  • Zona Pellucida / chemistry
  • Zona Pellucida / physiology*

Substances

  • Carbohydrates
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Glycoconjugates
  • Mannose-Binding Lectins
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Serum Albumin
  • mannose-bovine serum albumin conjugate
  • Aspartic Acid
  • Mannose