Protective effects of exogenous gangliosides on ROS-induced changes in human spermatozoa  

作　　者：Mirjana Gavella Vaskresenija Lipovac 

机构地区：[1]Reproductive Biochemistry and Cell Metabolism Unit, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb 10000, Croatia

出　　处：《Asian Journal of Andrology》2013年第3期375-381,共7页亚洲男性学杂志（英文版）

摘　　要：This article summarizes the available evidence on the efficacy of gangliosides to reduce the degree of reactive oxygen species （ROS）-mediated damage. The antioxidative efficacy of exogenous gangliosides in protecting different cells encouraged us to examine their ability to protect human spermatozoa. Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids with strong amphiphilic character due to the bulky headgroup made of several sugar rings with sialic acid residues and the double-tailed hydrophobic lipid moiety. The amphiphilicity of gangliosides allows them to exist as micelles in aqueous media when they are present at a concentration above their critical micellar concentration. The protective effect of ganglioside micelles on spermatozoa is believed to stem from their ability to scavenge free radicals and prevent their damaging effects, In our study, we particularly focused our attention on the protective effect of ganglioside micelles on DNA in human spermatozoa exposed to cryopreservation. The results indicate that ganglioside micelles can modulate the hydrophobic properties of the sperm membrane to increase tolerance to DNA fragmentation, thus protecting the DNA from cryopreservation-induced damage. Further actions of ganglioside micelles, which were documented by biochemical and biophysical studies, included （i） the modulation of superoxide anion generation by increasing the diffusion barrier for membrane events responsible for signal translocation to the interior of the cell; （ii） the inhibition of iron-catalysed hydroxyl radical formation due to the iron chelation potential of gangliosides; and （iii） inhibition of hydrogen peroxide diffusion across the sperm membrane.This article summarizes the available evidence on the efficacy of gangliosides to reduce the degree of reactive oxygen species （ROS）-mediated damage. The antioxidative efficacy of exogenous gangliosides in protecting different cells encouraged us to examine their ability to protect human spermatozoa. Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids with strong amphiphilic character due to the bulky headgroup made of several sugar rings with sialic acid residues and the double-tailed hydrophobic lipid moiety. The amphiphilicity of gangliosides allows them to exist as micelles in aqueous media when they are present at a concentration above their critical micellar concentration. The protective effect of ganglioside micelles on spermatozoa is believed to stem from their ability to scavenge free radicals and prevent their damaging effects, In our study, we particularly focused our attention on the protective effect of ganglioside micelles on DNA in human spermatozoa exposed to cryopreservation. The results indicate that ganglioside micelles can modulate the hydrophobic properties of the sperm membrane to increase tolerance to DNA fragmentation, thus protecting the DNA from cryopreservation-induced damage. Further actions of ganglioside micelles, which were documented by biochemical and biophysical studies, included （i） the modulation of superoxide anion generation by increasing the diffusion barrier for membrane events responsible for signal translocation to the interior of the cell; （ii） the inhibition of iron-catalysed hydroxyl radical formation due to the iron chelation potential of gangliosides; and （iii） inhibition of hydrogen peroxide diffusion across the sperm membrane.

关 键 词：exogenous gangliosides oxidative stress PROTECTION SPERMATOZOA 

分 类 号：Q546[生物学—生物化学] S828.34[农业科学—畜牧学]