Bovine sperm binding to oviductal epithelium involves fucose recognition
Abstract
Sperm binding to oviductal epithelium probably serves to form the isthmic sperm reservoir. This interaction of sperm and oviductal epithelium may involve species-specific carbohydrate recognition. We tested a series of carbohydrates and glycoproteins for inhibition of bovine sperm binding to oviductal epithelium in vitro. Explants of isthmic and ampullar epithelium were obtained from oviducts that had been surgically removed from preovulatory heifers. The explants were incubated (39 degrees C, 5% CO2) with fetuin, asialofetuin, ovalbumin, fucoidan, fucose, N-acetyl glucosamine, or N-acetyl glucosamine sulfate dissolved in a modified Tyrode's balanced salt solution, termed sperm-TALP (pH 7.4, 295 mOsm) for 10 min before frozen-thawed motile sperm obtained by swim-up were added. After 15 min, the explants were rinsed, and sperm binding density was evaluated. Oviductal explants treated with fucoidan (3 mg/ml; p < 0.001, n = 5) or fucose (31 mM, p < 0.01, n = 6) had reduced densities of bound sperm compared to the controls. Incubation of explants in increasing concentrations of fucose (4-62 mM) resulted in increased inhibition of sperm binding. Pretreating explants with fucosidase also reduced sperm binding (p < 0.001, n = 3) compa...Continue Reading
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