RT Journal Article
T1 Melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2 are expressed in spermatozoa from several seasonal and nonseasonal breeder species
A1 González Arto, Marta
A1 Vicente Carrillo, Alejandro
A1 Martínez Pastor, Felipe
A1 Fernández Alegre, Estela
A1 Roca, Jordi
A1 Miró, Jordi
A1 Rigau, Teresa
A1 Rodríguez Gil, Joan Enric
A1 Pérez Pé, Rosaura
A1 Muiño Blanco, Teresa
A1 Cebrián Pérez, José Álvaro
A1 Casao, Adriana
AB Melatonin is a ubiquitous and multipurpose molecule, and one of its roles is to regulate reproduction in some seasonal mammals. Our group has previously reported the variation in the melatonin levels in ram seminal plasma along the year and identified MT1 and MT2 receptors in ram spermatozoa. The objective of this study was to elucidate whether the presence of melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) in the sperm plasma membrane, and melatonin in the seminal plasma is related to seasonal breeding. For this purpose, the presence of melatonin receptors and the levels of melatonin in seminal plasma have been examined in several species: donkey and stallion as long-day breeders; red deer as a wild, short-day, highly seasonal breeder (epididymal spermatozoa); bull as a conventional nonseasonal breeder; boar as a seasonal breeder under management techniques; and dog as possible a seasonal breeder not regulated by melatonin. We have detected measurable levels of melatonin in the seminal plasma of all ejaculated semen samples (from donkey, stallion, boar, bull, and dog). Also, and for the first time, we have demonstrated the presence of MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors in the spermatozoa of all these species, regardless their type of reproduction or sperm source (ejaculated or epididymal), using indirect immunofluorescence techniques and Western blotting. Our findings suggest that melatonin and melatonin receptors may be universally distributed in the reproductive system of mammals and that the sperm melatonin receptors cells may not be necessarily related with seasonal reproduction. Furthermore, the presence of MT1 at the cytoplasmic droplet in immature ejaculated stallion spermatozoa found in one sample and epididymal red deer spermatozoa suggests that melatonin may be involved in specific functions during spermatogenesis and sperm maturation, like protecting spermatozoa from oxidative damage, this activity being mediated through these receptors.
PB Elsevier
SN 0093-691X
YR 2016
FD 2016-06-15
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/104456
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/104456
LA eng
NO Marta González-Arto, Alejandro Vicente-Carrillo, Felipe Martínez-Pastor, Estela Fernández-Alegre, Jordi Roca, Jordi Miró, Teresa Rigau, Joan E. Rodríguez-Gil, Rosaura Pérez-Pé, Teresa Muiño-Blanco, José A. Cebrián-Pérez, Adriana Casao, Melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2 are expressed in spermatozoa from several seasonal and nonseasonal breeder species, Theriogenology, Volume 86, Issue 8, 2016, Pages 1958-1968, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.06.016.
DS Docta Complutense
RD 23 abr 2025