Vol.28 No.3（2006 June）：410-414

Signal Transduction and Regulation of Phospholipase A₂ during Acrosomal Exocytosis in Spermatozoa
Kun Li^1,2, Qi-Xian Shi¹, Ya Ni^1,2*
(¹Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 310013, China; ²Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325035, China)

Abstract Phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) is an important lipolytic enzymes in spermatozoa, which be constituted by some distinct subtypes. Activation of PLA₂ is induced by calcium influx and subsequent membrane fusibility during acrosome reaction in spermatozoa. Activation of PLA₂ is regulated by many signaling pathways: G_i-protein, diacylglycerol, protein kinase A, proterin kinase C, mitogen-activated protein kinase and reaction oxygen species. In addition, the crosstalk between PLA₂ and phospholipase C may occur by mediating of endogenous diacylglycerol. Clarifying the PLA₂ signaling pathways during acrosome reaction in spermatozoa could provide the basis for fertilization mechanism, possible new methods for diagnosis and treatment of male infertility and strategies for contraceptive.

Key words phospholipase A₂; spermatozoon; acrosome reaction; signal transduction

Received: November 10, 2005 Accepted: February 13, 2006

This work was supported by the Science and Research Foundation of Ministry of Health (Medicine Health Key Science & Technology Project of Zhejiang Province, No.WKJ2005204701) and the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (No.Y204490)

^*Corresponding author. Tel: 86-571-88215476, Fax: 86-571-88075447, E-mail: niya99@china.com