Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Research Institute for Human High Performance and Health Promotion (HHP & HP), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Andrologia. 2021 Apr;53(3):e13977. doi: 10.1111/and.13977. Epub 2021 Jan 24.
The molecular mechanism of chronic stress especially reduced motility, a major cause of male infertility, has not been proved. It is known that A-kinase anchor protein 4 (AKAP4) and tyrosine-phosphorylated (TyrPho) proteins are involved in progressive motility. This study aimed to investigate the effect of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) on sexual behaviours, sperm quality, and expressions of AKAP4 and TyrPho proteins in testis, epididymis, and spermatozoa. Sixteen male mice were divided into control and CUMS groups (n = 8/group). Animals were induced by a stressor from twelve stressors for 36 days. Sexual behaviours, corticosterone and testosterone, sperm parameters, and histopathology were observed. The expressions of AKAP4 and TyrPho proteins in testis, epididymis, and spermatozoa were examined. Results showed that CUMS significantly increased corticosterone while serum testosterone level was decreased. Sexual behaviours and sperm parameter quality were significantly decreased. CUMS mice showed vacuolisation and pyknotic cells in seminiferous epithelium and less sperm mass was observed within epididymal lumen. CUMS decreased expressions of AKAP4 and TyrPho proteins in testis, epididymis, and spermatozoa. In conclusion, the decreased expression of AKAP4 and TyrPho proteins may be a mechanism associated with low semen qualities particularly decrease of sperm motility in CUMS.
慢性应激的分子机制，特别是运动能力降低，是男性不育的主要原因之一，但尚未得到证实。已知 A-激酶锚蛋白 4（AKAP4）和酪氨酸磷酸化（TyrPho）蛋白参与了精子的渐进运动。本研究旨在探讨慢性不可预测轻度应激（CUMS）对性行为、精子质量以及睾丸、附睾和精子中 AKAP4 和 TyrPho 蛋白表达的影响。将 16 只雄性小鼠分为对照组和 CUMS 组（n=8/组）。用 12 种应激源对动物进行 36 天的诱导。观察性行为、皮质酮和睾酮、精子参数以及组织病理学变化。检测睾丸、附睾和精子中 AKAP4 和 TyrPho 蛋白的表达。结果显示，CUMS 显著增加了皮质酮，而血清睾酮水平降低。性行为和精子参数质量显著下降。CUMS 组的曲细精管上皮出现空泡化和固缩细胞，附睾管腔中精子数量减少。CUMS 降低了睾丸、附睾和精子中 AKAP4 和 TyrPho 蛋白的表达。综上所述，AKAP4 和 TyrPho 蛋白表达的降低可能是 CUMS 导致精液质量下降，特别是精子运动能力降低的一个机制。
