Sterol sulfates in the epididymis; synthesis and possible function in the reproductive process
- PMID: 3480393
- DOI: 10.1016/0022-4731(87)90325-6
Sterol sulfates in the epididymis; synthesis and possible function in the reproductive process
Abstract
Sterol sulfates are present in relatively high concentrations in the male reproductive tract. Cholesteryl sulfate is the major sterol sulfate in the human epididymis while desmosteryl sulfate is the major sterol sulfate in the hamster epididymis. While the testis is the major source of sterol sulfate in the human, the epididymis of the hamster is the source of demosteryl sulfate. This conjugate accumulates along the length of the epididymis and is taken up by the plasma membrane in the acrosomal region of the spermatozoa. Sulfotransferase activity increases along the epididymis and this is due to the actual synthesis of the enzyme. Sterol sulfates are potent and specific inhibitors of the proteolytic enzyme, acrosin. This property could provide protection against the premature release of proteolytic activity within the male reproductive tract. It is proposed that the removal of this inhibition occurs within the female tract via sulfatase activity in order to enable the acrosome reaction and ovum penetration to occur.
Similar articles
-
Distribution of steroid sulfotransferase in the male hamster reproductive tract.Biol Reprod. 1984 Dec;31(5):936-41. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod31.5.936. Biol Reprod. 1984. PMID: 6240284
-
Localization of cholesteryl sulfate in human spermatozoa in support of a hypothesis for the mechanism of capacitation.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981 Dec;78(12):7266-70. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.12.7266. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981. PMID: 6950375 Free PMC article.
-
Steroid sulfotransferases and steroid sulfate sulfatases: characteristics and biological roles.Can J Biochem Cell Biol. 1985 Nov;63(11):1127-44. doi: 10.1139/o85-141. Can J Biochem Cell Biol. 1985. PMID: 3910206 Review.
-
The assay and partial characterization of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase of the hamster epididymis.Can J Biochem Cell Biol. 1985 Jan;63(1):71-6. doi: 10.1139/o85-010. Can J Biochem Cell Biol. 1985. PMID: 3157430
-
Early steps of sperm-egg interactions during mammalian fertilization.Cell Biol Int. 1996 Jan;20(1):33-9. doi: 10.1006/cbir.1996.0006. Cell Biol Int. 1996. PMID: 8936405 Review.
Cited by
-
Comparative effects of cholesterol and cholesterol sulfate on hydration and ordering of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine membranes.Biophys J. 1996 Mar;70(3):1380-90. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(96)79696-0. Biophys J. 1996. PMID: 8785293 Free PMC article.
-
Pharmacogenetics of soluble sulfotransferases (SULTs).Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2004 Jan;369(1):55-68. doi: 10.1007/s00210-003-0826-0. Epub 2003 Nov 5. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2004. PMID: 14600802 Review.
-
Occurrence and reproductive roles of hormones in seminal plasma.Basic Clin Androl. 2017 Sep 8;27:19. doi: 10.1186/s12610-017-0062-y. eCollection 2017. Basic Clin Androl. 2017. PMID: 29046808 Free PMC article.
-
Estrogens in Male Physiology.Physiol Rev. 2017 Jul 1;97(3):995-1043. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00018.2016. Physiol Rev. 2017. PMID: 28539434 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Sterols in spermatogenesis and sperm maturation.J Lipid Res. 2013 Jan;54(1):20-33. doi: 10.1194/jlr.R032326. Epub 2012 Oct 23. J Lipid Res. 2013. PMID: 23093550 Free PMC article. Review.