Cryopreservation-induced decrease in heat-shock protein 90 in human spermatozoa and its mechanism
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Published on: September 19, 2011
Wen-Lei Cao1, Yi-Xin Wang, Zu-Qiong Xiang
1Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China. caowenlei@hotmail.com
Aim:
To study the protein changes of spermatozoa associated with sperm motility during sperm cryopreservation and its mechanism.
Methods:
In 18 healthy men, the seminal sperm motility and HSP90 levels were studied before and after cryopreservation using SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and computerized image analysis.
Results:
The sperm motility declined significantly after cryopreservation (P<0.01). The average grey level and the integrated grey level of sperm HSP90 before cooling were 34.1+/-3.2 and 243.0+/-21.6, respectively, while those after thawing were 23.2+/-2.5 and 105.7+/-28.5, respectively. Both parameters were decreased significantly (P<0.01). No HSP90 was found in the seminal plasma before and after cryopreservation.
Conclusion:
HSP90 in human spermatozoa was decreased substantially after cryopreservation. This may result from protein degradation, rather than leakage into the seminal plasma.
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