Cornett L E, Meizel S
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1978 Oct;75(10):4954-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.10.4954.
Capacitation and the acrosome reaction of mammalian spermatozoa are essential for fertilization. In vitro results are presented that demonstrate that catecholamines stimulate activation (a whiplash flagellar movement characteristic of capacitated hamster spermatozoa) and the acrosome reaction. Protein-free ultrafiltrates of bovine adrenal cortex and medulla preparations stimulated motility, activation, and acrosome reactions of hamster spermatozoa in the presence of bovine serum albumin. The medulla preparation was more effective than the cortex preparation in the stimulation of activation and acrosome reactions. Epinephrine (0.5-50 muM) and norepinephrine (50.0 muM) in the presence of bovine serum albumin and a partially purified protein-free cortex preparation also stimulated activation and the acrosome reactions. Both activation and acrosome reactions in the presence of epinephrine were inhibited by the adrenergic antagonists phentolamine and propranolol, suggesting the involvement of alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors in the stimulation of capacitation and the acrosome reaction. In addition, phenylephrine, an alpha-adrenergic agonist, was as potent as epinephrine in the stimulation of acrosome reactions, but activation was reduced. Isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic agonist, was as potent as epinephrine in the stimulation of activation, but acrosome reactions were reduced. High percentages of both activation and acrosome reactions were observed only in the presence of epinephrine, norepinephrine, or phenylephrine and isoproterenol together.
哺乳动物精子的获能和顶体反应对于受精至关重要。本文给出的体外实验结果表明，儿茶酚胺可刺激激活（获能仓鼠精子特有的鞭毛鞭打运动）和顶体反应。牛肾上腺皮质和髓质制剂的无蛋白超滤液在牛血清白蛋白存在的情况下，可刺激仓鼠精子的活力、激活和顶体反应。在刺激激活和顶体反应方面，髓质制剂比皮质制剂更有效。在牛血清白蛋白和部分纯化的无蛋白皮质制剂存在的情况下，肾上腺素（0.5 - 50 μM）和去甲肾上腺素（50.0 μM）也可刺激激活和顶体反应。肾上腺素存在时的激活和顶体反应均被肾上腺素能拮抗剂酚妥拉明和普萘洛尔抑制，这表明α - 和β - 肾上腺素能受体参与了获能和顶体反应的刺激过程。此外，α - 肾上腺素能激动剂去氧肾上腺素在刺激顶体反应方面与肾上腺素效力相当，但激活作用减弱。β - 肾上腺素能激动剂异丙肾上腺素在刺激激活方面与肾上腺素效力相当，但顶体反应减弱。仅在肾上腺素、去甲肾上腺素或去氧肾上腺素与异丙肾上腺素同时存在时，才观察到高比例的激活和顶体反应。
