Title

Mouse egg integrin alpha 6 beta 1 functions as a sperm receptor

UMMS Affiliation

Department of Cancer Biology

Publication Date

1995-06-30

Document Type

Article

Subjects

ADAM Proteins; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Base Sequence; Cell Fusion; DNA Primers; Female; Gene Expression; Integrin alpha6beta1; Integrins; Male; Membrane Glycoproteins; *Metalloendopeptidases; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Molecular Sequence Data; Oligopeptides; Ovum; Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Receptors, Cell Surface; Receptors, Laminin; *Sperm-Ovum Interactions; Spermatozoa

Disciplines

Cancer Biology | Neoplasms

Abstract

Binding between sperm and egg plasma membranes is an essential step in fertilization. Whereas fertilin, a mammalian sperm surface protein, is involved in this crucial interaction, sperm receptors on the egg plasma membrane have not been identified. Because fertilin contains a predicted integrin ligand domain, we investigated the expression and function of integrin subunits in unfertilized mouse eggs. Polymerase chain reactions detected mRNAs for alpha 5, alpha 6, alpha v, beta 1, beta 3, and beta 5. Immunofluorescence revealed alpha 6 beta 1 and alpha v beta 3 on the plasma membrane. GoH3, a function-blocking anti-alpha 6 monoclonal antibody, abolished sperm binding, but a nonfunction-blocking anti-alpha 6 monoclonal antibody, a function-blocking anti-alpha v beta 3 polyclonal antibody, and an RGD peptide had no effect. Somatic cells bound sperm avidly, but only if they expressed alpha 6 beta 1. A peptide analog of the fertilin integrin ligand domain inhibited sperm binding to eggs and alpha 6 beta 1+ cells and diminished GoH3 staining of eggs. Our results indicate a novel role for the integrin alpha 6 beta 1 as a cell-cell adhesion receptor that mediates sperm-egg binding.

Source

Cell. 1995 Jun 30;81(7):1095-104.

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Cell

Related Resources

Link to Article in PubMed

PubMed ID

7600577

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