The content of immunomodulatory glycoepitopes in seminal plasma glycoproteins of fertile and infertile men
Anna Kałuża A , Mirosława Ferens-Sieczkowska A , Beata Olejnik A , Justyna Kołodziejczyk A , Mariusz Zimmer B and Ewa Maria Kratz
A C D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Chemistry and Immunochemistry, Wrocław Medical University, Bujwida Street 44A, 50-345 Wrocław, Poland.
B 2nd Department and Clinic of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Wrocław Medical University, Borowska Street 213, 50-556 Wrocław, Poland.
C Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, Wrocław Medical University, Borowska Street 211A, 50-556 Wrocław, Poland.
D Corresponding author. Email: ewa.kratz@umed.wroc.pl
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 31(3) 579-589 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD18124
Abstract
According to a concept of fetoembryonic defence, protein–carbohydrate interaction may be involved in the regulation of maternal immunity that prevents rejection of allograft spermatozoa, embryo and fetus. In the present study we focussed on the evaluation of the expression of glycoepitopes that may be of crucial importance in this process: LewisY (LeY) and LewisX (LeX) as well as terminal sialylation. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulphate was used to separate seminal plasma samples of fertile (n = 10) and infertile (n = 103) men; these were then probed with lectins specific to fucose (Lotus tetragonolobus agglutinin and Ulex europaeus agglutinin) and sialic acid (Sambucus nigra agglutinin and Maackia amurensis agglutinin). Differential expression of α2,3-bound sialic acid was found in six out of seven analysed bands, whereas differences in the other analysed glycoepitopes were found in fewer numbers of bands. Mass spectrometry analysis focussed on the identification of proteins carrying glycans with immunomodulatory epitopes, including fibronectin, lactoferrin, clusterin, zinc-α2-glycoprotein, prostate acid phosphatase and prostate-specific antigen; these should be submitted to further detailed analysis.
Additional keywords: glycosylation, human seminal plasma, lectin blotting, male decreased fertility.
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