Biomaterial Database

Sperm caspases become more activated in infertility patients than in healthy donors during cryopreservation. 2005

S Grunewald, and U Paasch, and K Wuendrich, and H-J Glander

Division of Andrology, Department of Dermatology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.

The programmed cell death (PCD, the apoptosis) is associated with the activation of the "death enzymes" caspases and very likely plays a role in the decrease of sperm vitality during cryopreservation. The activation of pan-caspases was examined in fresh and cryostored sperm by fluorescence microscopy applying a cell permeable and noncytotoxic carboxy-fluorescein labelled caspase inhibitor. Cryopreservation increased significantly the percentage of spermatozoa with activated pan-caspases (aCP) from 21 +/- 2.6 to 47 +/- 5.8 % (mean +/- SEM). Quantitative Western blot analyses confirmed the activation of caspase-1, -8, and -9 in detail on protein level after cryopreservation, whereas, the caspases of sperm of infertility patients showed a higher activation status than donors' sperm. This effect raised with increasing glycerol concentration from 7-14 %. The higher level in activation of caspases in cryostored spermatozoa of infertility patients may indicate that these cells have a lower cryotolerance and a higher susceptibility to caspase activation than does the sperm of donors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007248	Infertility, Male	The inability of the male to effect FERTILIZATION of an OVUM after a specified period of unprotected intercourse. Male sterility is permanent infertility.	Sterility, Male,Sub-Fertility, Male,Subfertility, Male,Male Infertility,Male Sterility,Male Sub-Fertility,Male Subfertility,Sub Fertility, Male
D008297	Male		Males
D004789	Enzyme Activation	Conversion of an inactive form of an enzyme to one possessing metabolic activity. It includes 1, activation by ions (activators); 2, activation by cofactors (coenzymes); and 3, conversion of an enzyme precursor (proenzyme or zymogen) to an active enzyme.	Activation, Enzyme,Activations, Enzyme,Enzyme Activations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013094	Spermatozoa	Mature male germ cells derived from SPERMATIDS. As spermatids move toward the lumen of the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES, they undergo extensive structural changes including the loss of cytoplasm, condensation of CHROMATIN into the SPERM HEAD, formation of the ACROSOME cap, the SPERM MIDPIECE and the SPERM TAIL that provides motility.	Sperm,Spermatozoon,X-Bearing Sperm,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperm,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Sperm, X-Bearing,Sperm, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, X-Bearing,Sperms, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,X Bearing Sperm,X Chromosome Bearing Sperm,X-Bearing Sperms,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms,Y Bearing Sperm,Y Chromosome Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperms,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms
D014019	Tissue Donors	Individuals supplying living tissue, organs, cells, blood or blood components for transfer or transplantation to histocompatible recipients.	Organ Donors,Donors,Ovum Donors,Semen Donors,Transplant Donors,Donor,Donor, Organ,Donor, Ovum,Donor, Semen,Donor, Tissue,Donor, Transplant,Donors, Organ,Donors, Ovum,Donors, Semen,Donors, Tissue,Donors, Transplant,Organ Donor,Ovum Donor,Semen Donor,Tissue Donor,Transplant Donor
D015153	Blotting, Western	Identification of proteins or peptides that have been electrophoretically separated by blot transferring from the electrophoresis gel to strips of nitrocellulose paper, followed by labeling with antibody probes.	Immunoblotting, Western,Western Blotting,Western Immunoblotting,Blot, Western,Immunoblot, Western,Western Blot,Western Immunoblot,Blots, Western,Blottings, Western,Immunoblots, Western,Immunoblottings, Western,Western Blots,Western Blottings,Western Immunoblots,Western Immunoblottings
D015925	Cryopreservation	Preservation of cells, tissues, organs, or embryos by freezing. In histological preparations, cryopreservation or cryofixation is used to maintain the existing form, structure, and chemical composition of all the constituent elements of the specimens.	Cryofixation,Cryonic Suspension,Cryonic Suspensions,Suspension, Cryonic
D017209	Apoptosis	A regulated cell death mechanism characterized by distinctive morphologic changes in the nucleus and cytoplasm, including the endonucleolytic cleavage of genomic DNA, at regularly spaced, internucleosomal sites, i.e., DNA FRAGMENTATION. It is genetically programmed and serves as a balance to mitosis in regulating the size of animal tissues and in mediating pathologic processes associated with tumor growth.	Apoptosis, Extrinsic Pathway,Apoptosis, Intrinsic Pathway,Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis,Classic Apoptosis,Classical Apoptosis,Programmed Cell Death,Programmed Cell Death, Type I,Apoptoses, Extrinsic Pathway,Apoptoses, Intrinsic Pathway,Apoptosis, Caspase-Dependent,Apoptosis, Classic,Apoptosis, Classical,Caspase Dependent Apoptosis,Cell Death, Programmed,Classic Apoptoses,Extrinsic Pathway Apoptoses,Extrinsic Pathway Apoptosis,Intrinsic Pathway Apoptoses,Intrinsic Pathway Apoptosis
D053148	Caspase 3	A short pro-domain caspase that plays an effector role in APOPTOSIS. It is activated by INITIATOR CASPASES such as CASPASE 9. Isoforms of this protein exist due to multiple alternative splicing of its MESSENGER RNA.	CASP3,Apopain,Caspase-3,Pro-Caspase-3,Procaspase-3,Pro Caspase 3,Procaspase 3