We hypothesized that progesterone-induced decrease in uterine fluid pH involves V-ATPase. In this study, expression and functional activity of V-ATPase in uterus were investigated under progesterone influence. Ovariectomized adult female rats received subcutaneous injection of estradiol-17β (1 µg/kg/day) or progesterone (20 mg/kg/day) for 3 days or 3 days estradiol-17β followed by 3 days vehicle, progesterone, or estradiol-17β plus progesterone. Mifepristone, a progesterone receptor blocker, was concomitantly given to the rats which received progesterone. A day after last injection, rate of uterine fluid secretion, its HCO3 (-) concentration, and pH were determined via in vivo uterine perfusion in rats under anesthesia. V-ATPase inhibitor, bafilomycin, was introduced into the perfusion buffer, and changes in these parameters were observed. Expression of V-ATPase A1 and B1/2 proteins and mRNAs in uterus were quantified by Western blotting and real-time PCR, respectively. Distribution of these proteins was observed by immunohistochemistry. Our findings showed that under progesterone influence, uterine fluid secretion rate, HCO3 (-) concentration, and pH were significantly reduced. Administration of bafilomycin did not cause significant changes in fluid secretion rate; however, HCO3 (-) concentration and pH were significantly elevated. In parallel with these changes, expression of V-ATPase A1 and B1/2 proteins and mRNAs were significantly increased with these proteins highly distributed in uterine luminal and glandular epithelia. In conclusion, increased expression and functional activity of V-ATPase were most likely responsible for the decreased in uterine fluid pH observed under progesterone influence.
Testosterone has been reported to cause a decrease in uterine fluid volume in which this could involve the aquaporins (AQPs). This study aimed to investigate effect of testosterone on uterine AQP-1, 5, and 7 expressions in order to explain the reported reduction in uterine fluid volume under testosterone influence. Ovariectomized adult female rats received peanut oil, testosterone (1 mg/kg/day), estrogen (0.2 µg/kg/day), or combined estrogen plus testosterone for three consecutive days. Other groups received 3 days estrogen followed by 2 days either peanut oil or testosterone with or without flutamide or finasteride. A day after last injection, uteri were harvested, and the levels of AQP-1, 5, and 7 messenger RNA (mRNA) in uterine tissue homogenates were analyzed by real-time PCR (qPCR). Distributions of AQP-1, 5, and 7 proteins in uterus were observed by immunofluorescence. Levels of AQP-1 mRNA were elevated in rats receiving either estrogen or testosterone-only treatment; however, levels of AQP-5 and 7 mRNAs were elevated in rats receiving testosterone-only treatment. In rats pre-treated with estrogen, testosterone treatment resulted in higher AQP-1, 5, and 7 mRNA levels compared to vehicle treatment. Testosterone effects were antagonized by flutamide but not finasteride. Immunofluorescence study showed that AQP-1 was highly distributed in uterine lumenal epithelium following estrogen or testosterone-only treatment. However, AQP-5 and 7 distributions were high in uterine lumenal epithelium following testosterone-only treatment. Testosterone-induced up-regulation of AQP-1, 5, and 7 expressions in uterus could explain the observed reduction in uterine fluid volume as reported under this condition.
Complete elucidation of fertilization process at molecular level is one of the unresolved challenges in sexual reproduction studies, and understanding the molecular mechanism is crucial in overcoming difficulties in infertility and unsuccessful in vitro fertilization. Sperm-oocyte interaction is one of the most remarkable events in fertilization process, and deficiency in protein-protein interactions which mediate this interaction is a major cause of unexplained infertility. Due to detection of how the various defects of sperm-oocyte interaction can affect fertilization failure, different experimental methods have been applied. This review summarizes the current understanding of sperm-egg interaction mechanism during fertilization and also accumulates the different types of sperm-egg interaction abnormalities and their association with infertility. Several detection approaches regarding sperm-egg protein interactions and the associated defects are reviewed in this paper.