Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:4.6.1.1 (adenylate cyclase)
 19,190 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The adenylate cyclase of mammalian spermatozoa shares some of the properties of the isolated catalytic component from somatic cell adenylate cyclases. One of these properties is the large apparent stimulation by Mn2+. We have used the direct linear plot according to Eisenthal and Cornish-Bowden to explore whether this apparent stimulation is due to direct stimulation by Mn2+ or due to complexation of free ATP, a postulated inhibitor of cyclase activity. We have observed the activity of the particulate adenylate cyclase from bovine caudal epididymal spermatozoa as a function of calculated equilibrium values for the concentrations of Mn2+, free ATP, and the enzyme's substrate, the manganese-ATP complex. Direct linear plots for activity and substrate concentration over the apparent inhibitory concentration range of free ATP give the pattern expected for a hyperbolic substrate response. By contrast, direct linear plots in which Mn2+ concentration varies over its apparent stimulatory range show that as Mn2+ concentration increases, activities are higher than would be predicted for a hyperbolic substrate response. We conclude that for particulate bovine sperm adenylate cyclase, free ATP is not strongly inhibitory, and Mn2+ is a positive effector, reaching half-maximal stimulation at 0.2 mM. The unique nature of the sperm adenylate cyclase and its possible regulation by Mn2+ under physiological conditions is discussed.
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PMID:Manganese and manganese-ATP interactions with bovine sperm adenylate cyclase. 394 88

Research on the physiopathologic and biochemical nature of prostaglandins (PGs) suggest that PGs play a role in reproductive physiology. In vitro studies show that the PGE series decrease the motility of the human uterus, fallopian tubes, and ureter, and produce vasodilatation. PGFs cause vasoconstriction and increased motility of the uterus, fallopian tubes, ureter, and gastrointestinal muscle. PGs are also known to inhibit lipolysis, platelet aggregation, and gastric secretion. The exact mechanism of PGs are not fully understood, but evidence suggests that many responses can be attributed to interference with the enzyme adenyl cyclase, which catalyzes the formation of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) from adenosine triphosphate. The adenyl cyclase-cyclic AMP system mediates lipolysis, steroidogenesis, gastric secretion, certain smooth muscle motility responses, and increase in permeability due to vasopressin. Early studies of the myometrial effects of PGs showed that the PGE series inhibited the motility of the human myometrium in vitro while the PGF series produced mixed responses. The role of PGF2alpha in parturition has not been established but evidence suggests that it has a potential role as an oxytocic in cases of therapeutic abortion. In the area of human fertility, the physiologic role of PGs in seminal fluid is hypothesized to facilitate the migration of spermatozoa from the vagina into the uterine cavity. Karolinska Institute researchers have found that some infertile males have low PG levels in their ejaculates and are now working with methods of improving the PG levels to improve their fertility. Pickles et al. proposed a potential role for PGs in the etiology of dysmenorrhea, having found a significantly higher ratio of PGF to PGE in a series of patients with severe dysmenorrhea than in a comparable series of normal patients. The luteolytic and antinidatory effects of PGF2alpha are being investigated and studies appear encouraging. PGs have therapeutic potentials in induction of labor, treatment of infertility, morning-after conception, treatment of dysmenorrhea, and contraception by alteration of fallopian tube motility.
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PMID:The role of prostaglandins in reproductive physiology. 491 53

Cycl AMP concentrations were elevated and acrosome reactions were induced in intact sea urchin spermatozoa by Nigericin, A23187, and pH 9.0 seawater. To determine whether or not the metabolism of cyclic AMP was being altered in sperm heads, the heads were mechanically separated from the flagella, and the flagella-less heads were then isolated by differential centrifugation. The isolated heads contained 1 to 2 nmol of ATP and 1 to 2 pmol of cyclic AMP/mg wet weight and retained these concentrations for several hours if stored at 0 degrees C. The flagella-less heads also retained the mitochondria of the midpiece area. The heads retained their functional status and could be stimulated to undergo acrosome reactions (filament extension) in response to Nigericin, A23187, or pH 9.0 seawater. Furthermore, the isolated heads could activate sea urchin eggs after induction of an acrosome reaction by Nigericin or pH 9.0 seawater. The isolated heads contained appreciable adenylate cyclase, cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase, guanylate cyclase, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, and calmodulin. Nigericin, pH 9.0 seawater, and A23187 caused not only the induction of an acrosome reaction but also elevations of cyclic AMP in the isolated heads, and extracellular Ca2+ was an absolute requirement for both responses. At 16 degrees C, Nigericin caused elevations of cyclic AMP within 5 s, but maximal elevations were not observed until 1 min; it induced a maximal percentage of acrosome reactions by 40 s. Incubation of cells at 0 degrees C resulted in a delay of maximal acrosome reactions until between 10 and 20 min after addition of Nigericin. Under these conditions, maximal elevations of cyclic AMP were observed by 5 min, demonstrating that cyclic AMP elevations precede the complete morphological change associated with an acrosome reaction. ATP concentrations within the sperm heads declined in response to Nigericin, pH 9.0 seawater, or A23187, and its decrease also required the presence of extracellular Ca2+. The decline in ATP concentrations was slightly more rapid in the presence of rotenone, suggestive of some ATP synthetic capabilities of the isolated head preparation. 45Ca2+ uptake was increased by Nigericin elevated pH, and A23187 but was not appreciably altered by monensin. Monensin also did not cause appreciable elevations of cyclic AMP concentrations, induction of an acrosome reaction, or decreases of ATP concentrations. Here, we describe for the first time that cyclic AMP concentrations can be increased in flagella-less heads of spermatozoa and show that these changes are associated with an acrosome reaction.
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PMID:The elevation of cyclic AMP concentrations in flagella-less sea urchin sperm heads. 625 63

The effects of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), MnCl2, caffeine, and theophylline at concentrations of 10 mM on human sperm motility and forward migration in vitro were tested. cAMP was effective in activating human spermatozoal motility and forward migration after incubation with the spermatozoa for 3 hr or more and 5 hr, respectively, whereas caffeine and theophylline were effective in activating sperm motility after incubation with the spermatozoa for 1 hr or more. Caffeine and theophylline significantly activated sperm forward migration only after incubation with the sperm for 5 hr. MnCl2, a potent sperm adenylate cyclase activator, had no significant effect in improving human sperm motility and forward migration.
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PMID:Effect of cAMP, Mn2+, and phosphodiesterase inhibitors on human sperm motility. 627 63

The activities of cAMP and cGMP phosphodiesterases (EC 3.1.4.1), adenylate cyclase (EC 4.6.1.1) and protein carboxyl-methylase (EC 2.1.1.24) were measured in the particulate and soluble (105 000 g supernatant) fractions of washed spermatozoa isolated from five segments of the adult rat epididymis. The activities of both phosphodiesterases decreased during epididymal transit, whereas adenylate cyclase and protein carboxyl-methylase underwent a progressive increase, the latter showing the most marked alteration. Both cAMP and cGMP phosphodiesterases as well as the adenylate cyclase were all associated primarily with the particulate fraction, and the extent to which these enzymes were associated with the membranes increased as the spermatozoa passed through the epididymis. Sperm protein carboxyl-methylase activity was, on the other hand, predominantly soluble in all segments of the epididymis. Adenylate cyclase, cAMP phosphodiesterase and protein carboxyl-methylase activities were found predominantly in the sperm tails, whereas cGMP phosphodiesterase was equally distributed between heads and tails. These observations imply that the acknowledged increase in intracellular cAMP levels which occurs in spermatozoa during epididymal transit may be a consequence of both increased synthesis (adenylate cyclase) and reduced hydrolysis (phosphodiesterase).
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PMID:Rat sperm enzymes during epididymal transit. 628 32

In sonicated human spermatozoa, phosphodiesterase hydrolyzed adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) at 20.80 +/- 3.23 nmoles/10(8)sperm/20 min at 37 degrees C (50 microM cAMP, initially). In human semen, about 60% of the phosphodiesterase activity was in the spermatozoa. Both polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography indicated that there are at least 5 isozymes of phosphodiesterase. Various steroids were tested at a concentration of 2 micrograms/ml for their effects on phosphodiesterase activity in semen. None was found to have any significant effect. In sonicated human spermatozoa, adenylate cyclase synthesized cAMP at 0.02-2.11 nmoles/10(8)sperm/20 min at 37 degrees C (1 mM ATP, initially) depending on the availability of Mn2+ and caffeine in the assay mixture. Mn2+ was demonstrated to be a potent adenylate cyclase activator in human spermatozoa and its effect on human sperm adenylate cyclase was found to be dose-dependent. Cholera toxin, at a concentration of 20 micrograms/ml, had no effect on human sperm adenylate cyclase activity after it had been incubated with the intact spermatozoa for between 5 min and 5 h at 37 degrees C before the sperm were homogenized and the rate of cAMP formation assayed. In addition, human sperm adenylate cyclase decayed rapidly at 37 degrees C. Of various steroids tested at a concentration of 2 micrograms/ml for their effects on human sperm adenylate cyclase activity, only oestradiol-17 beta showed a significant effect, elevating the rate of cAMP formation by about 30%.
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PMID:Partial characterization of human spermatozoal phosphodiesterase and adenylate cyclase and the effect of steroids on their activities. 628 74

The ejaculated porcine spermatozoa were fractionated into the cytosol, membrane, midpiece plus tail (flagella) and head fractions, and their adenylate cyclase activities were measured. About 65% of the total activity was located in the flagella fraction. For all the fractions, Mn2+-dependent adenylate cyclase activity was about 20 times higher than Mg2+-dependent activity, and guanine nucleotides, fluoride, and other reagents tested did not activate adenylate cyclase. The results suggest that the GTP-dependent regulatory subunit is absent in porcine spermatozoa. The porcine seminal plasma was found to stimulate the adenylate cyclase activity in spermatozoa. The stimulating factor in porcine seminal plasma was partially purified by gel filtration and the molecular weight of the factor appeared to be between 200 and 300. The partially purified factor is heat stable and is not inactivated by treatment with Pronase, trypsin, phospholipase A2 or D but is inactivated by acid hydrolysis. It is easily soluble in water, partially soluble in methanol, and insoluble in ethanol, ethyl ether, chloroform, or acetone. The activation of sperm adenylate cyclase by the factor occurred without a time lag. The activating effect was dose-dependent, saturated at high dose, and ascribed to the increase of the maximal velocity (Vmax). The effect of the factor appears to be limited to adenylate cyclase in spermatozoa; the factor activated adenylate cyclase both in porcine and bovine spermatozoa but failed to activate those in other porcine tissues. The factor was shown to activate the enzyme not only in the ejaculated spermatozoa but also in the epididymal sperm. The factor was also found to elevate the cAMP level in the intact porcine spermatozoa. The factor enhanced the motility of corpus and cauda epididymal spermatozoa. These findings indicate the possibility that this factor initiates the spermatozoan motility upon ejaculation through directly activating adenylate cyclase.
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PMID:Activation of spermatozoan adenylate cyclase by a low molecular weight factor in porcine seminal plasma. 663 Feb 19

The sliding-tubule hypothesis of flagellar movement has strong experimental support, but our present knowledge of the mechanism by which this sliding is coordinated and converted into flagellar oscillation and bend propagation is quite limited. Among the few facts known are: (1) calcium has a role in regulating the asymmetry of flagellar waveform, (2) the initiation or activation of motility in spermatozoa from several species involves a cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation reaction, and (3) the conversion of tubule sliding to bending does not require the radial spokes or central tubules. Inhibitors are valuable tools for investigating mechanisms involved in cellular function, and we report here that Li+ in low concentrations reversibly inhibits the microtubule-based movement of reactivated sea urchin sperm flagella. The evidence indicates that the action of Li+ is directed primarily towards one or more regulatory sites through which Ca2+ modulates the asymmetry of flagellar waveform, rather than towards dynein ATPase itself. Lithium also appears to inhibit the sperm adenylate cyclase, but this action does not seem to be relevant to its inhibition of normal motility. Our findings indicate the need for considerable caution when using ATP analogues supplied as the Li+ salt.
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PMID:Lithium reversibly inhibits microtubule-based motility in sperm flagella. 672 11

The adenylate cyclase activity of bovine caput and cauda epididymal spermatozoa was measured in intact- and in broken-cell preparations. Cyclase activity was 4-fold greater in caput than in cauda cells and total cyclase activity in broken-cell preparations was 3-5 times greater than that in intact cells. A particulate fraction derived from sonically disrupted caput spermatozoa was used to study the effects of compounds that might be physiologically important modulators of adenylate cyclase. Activity was stimulated by GTP, 5-guanylyl imidophosphate and by the polyamines, spermine and spermidine.
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PMID:Adenylate cyclase activity of bovine spermatozoa during maturation in the epididymis and the activation of sperm particulate adenylate cyclase by GTP and polyamines. 743 Dec 87

The role of intracellular signal transduction mechanisms in regulating the motility and metabolism of rat spermatozoa in undiluted caudal epididymal fluid (CEF) was examined. Samples of CEF containing immotile spermatozoa were exposed to drugs and other agents that either stimulate signal transduction pathways or mimic the action of their second messengers. Under these conditions, sperm motility in 25-30 nl of CEF was stimulated by calcium ions (Ca2+), N2,2'-O-dibutyrylguanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (dibutyryl cGMP), cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP), N6,2'-O-dibutyryladenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (dibutyryl cAMP), 8-bromoadenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-bromo cAMP), caffeine, theophylline and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-). Other agents such as magnesium ions (Mg2+), veratridine, phospholipase C (PLC), ionophore A23187, 1,2-dioctenoyl-sn-glycerol (DAG), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, phospholipase A2 (PLA2), arachidonic acid, and melittin did not significantly influence motility. In the presence of radiolabelled energy substrates, untreated (immotile) spermatozoa in samples of CEF utilised D-[U-14C]glucose and [1-14C]acetate as exogenous energy sources for oxidative metabolism. No detectable 14C-lactate was produced, and none of the drugs altered the rate of glycolytic or oxidative metabolism. The findings suggest that the motility of rat caudal epididymal spermatozoa is regulated by Ca2+ and the guanylate cyclase and adenylate cyclase pathways, but not through the PLC and PLA2 pathways. Also, their metabolism of exogenous substrate was uncoupled from the induction of motility, and their oxidative capacity exceeded the rate of flux of glucose-carbon through the glycolytic pathway.
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PMID:Intracellular signal transduction mechanisms of rat epididymal spermatozoa and their relationship to motility and metabolism. 804 68


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