Faculty Collaboration Database

The c-kit receptor and its possible signaling transduction pathway in mouse spermatozoa. Mol Reprod Dev 1998 Mar;49(3):317-26

Date

03/10/1998

Pubmed ID

9491384

DOI

10.1002/(SICI)1098-2795(199803)49:3<317::AID-MRD12>3.0.CO;2-T

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0031938242 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   48 Citations

Abstract

The presence and role of the c-kit protein was investigated in the mature sperm of the mouse. The c-kit monoclonal antibody (mAb) ACK2 reacted specifically with the acrosomal region and the principal piece of fixed noncapacitated sperm but did not react with the acrosome region in acrosome-reacted sperm. ACK2 significantly inhibited the acrosome reaction; this inhibition was relieved by the calcium ionophore A23187. The kit ligand stem cell factor (SCF) significantly increased the percentage of sperm undergoing acrosome reaction. This increase was partially inhibited by the calcium channel inhibitor (verapamil), the PI3k inhibitor (wortmannin), and the PLC inhibitor (U-73122). ACK2 predominantly recognized c-kit proteins of 33, 48, and 150 kDa by Western blotting of mouse sperm extracts. The 48- and 150-kDa protein bands were released into the media and tyrosine autophosphorylated at low basal levels during acrosome reaction. On stimulation with SCF, the level of c-kit phosphorylation increased significantly. These findings suggest that c-kit is present in mature sperm, and its binding to SCF may result in the activation of PLC gamma 1 and PI3K, leading to receptor autophosphorylation, and ultimately may play a role in capacitation and/or the acrosome reaction.

Author List

Feng H, Sandlow JI, Sandra A

Author

Jay I. Sandlow MD Chair, Professor in the Urologic Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Blotting, Western
Enzyme Inhibitors
Immunoenzyme Techniques
Isoenzymes
Male
Mice
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
Phospholipase C gamma
Phosphorylation
Protein Kinase C
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
Rabbits
Rats
Signal Transduction
Spermatozoa
Stem Cell Factor
Type C Phospholipases
Tyrosine