Abstract
After being historically considered as noxious agents, nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are now listed as gasotransmitters, gaseous molecules that play a key role in a variety of cellular functions. Both NO and H2S are endogenously produced, enzymatically or non-enzymatically, and interact with each other in a range of cells and tissues. In spite of the great advances achieved in recent decades in other biological systems, knowledge about H2S function and interactions with NO in sperm biology is in its infancy. Here, we aim to provide an update on the importance of these molecules in the physiology of the male gamete. Special emphasis is given to the most recent advances in the metabolism, mechanisms of action, and effects (both physiological and pathophysiological) of these gasotransmitters. This manuscript also illustrates the physiological implications of NO and H2S observed in other cell types, which might be important for sperm function. The relevance of these gasotransmitters to several signaling pathways within sperm cells highlights their potential use for the improvement and successful application of assisted reproductive technologies.
Highlights
Since the late 1980s, there has been increasing interest in the role of gaseous molecules in cellular physiology and pathology
This review aims to illustrate the role of nitric oxide (NO) and H2S in spermatozoa, and includes recent advances in other cell types that may be potentially relevant to sperm biology
In a recent study in capacitated boar spermatozoa, Staicu et al [23] found that the endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) are mainly distributed in the sperm head, whereas inducible NOS (iNOS) is localized in both the sperm head and the flagellum
Summary
Since the late 1980s, there has been increasing interest in the role of gaseous molecules in cellular physiology and pathology. Before leaving the male reproductive tract, the sperm cells undergo epididymal maturation, that is, a series of structural and biochemical changes resulting in the acquisition of fertilization ability and motility [13]. Capacitation involves plasma membrane changes initiated by the loss of cholesterol, affecting the ion intracellular concentrations and the activity of specific enzymes (e.g., protein kinase A (PKA)). The series of these events results in different movement patterns, sperm hyperactivation, and allows the occurrence of an acrosomal reaction that is the exocytosis of specific enzymes from the sperm head covering vesicle, the acrosome [14]
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