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  • Title: Impaired E-cadherin expression in human spermatozoa in a male factor infertility subset signifies E-cadherin-mediated adhesion mechanisms operative in sperm-oolemma interactions.
    Author: Purohit S, Brahmaraju M, Palta A, Shukla S, Laloraya M, Kumar PG.
    Journal: Biochem Biophys Res Commun; 2004 Apr 09; 316(3):903-9. PubMed ID: 15033487.
    Abstract:
    Cadherins comprise a family of calcium-dependent glycoproteins that function in mediating cell-cell adhesion in virtually all solid tissues of multicellular organisms. We have examined the presence of a cadherin on spermatozoon and its possible involvement in sperm-oocyte interaction. Spermatozoa from fertile human subjects showed the presence of E-cadherin on its head domains, detectable only after permeabilization of the surface membranes. On the contrary, spermatozoa from oligozoospermic subjects did not possess E-cadherin on their principal acrosomal and equatorial domains. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot studies also showed the presence of E-cadherin in spermatozoa from fertile males and its absence in oligozoospermic males. Using RT-PCR, we detected E-cadherin message in the round cells of fertile males, which was absent in the cells from oligozoospermic males. The presence of anti-E-cadherin antibody brought about quantitative reduction in the sperm-oocyte binding in vitro. These observations indicate the possibility of the interplay of a cadherin-dependent homophilic and/or heterophilic adhesion interaction between spermatozoa and oocyte during fertilization. The absence of a key adhesion molecule in a human male infertility disorder points towards genetic defects causing failure in gamete interactions.
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