Alpha6beta1 integrin expressed by sperm is determinant in mouse fertilization

Table 1 Effects of alpha6 and beta1 integrin subunits antibodies on sperm-egg fusion

Groups	Antibodies preincubation		Antibodies during IVF	FR (%) cumulus-intact (n. oocytes)	FI* AT zona-free (n. oocytes)
	Sperm	Oocytes
Anti-α6 (GoH3) at 200 μg/ml
1	-	-	-	91 ± 3 (85)	4,6 ± 0,3 (51)^e
2	-	+	-	68 ± 6 (64)^a	4,8 ± 0,3 (49)^e
3	+	-	-	50 ± 6 (81)^b,c	2,5 ± 0,2 (44)^b,e
4	+	+	-	31 ± 7 (44)^b	2,6 ± 0,2 (34)^b,e
5	-	-	+	10 ± 3 (77)^b,d	4 ± 0,3 (38)^e
Anti-β1 (L16) at 50 μg/ml
1	-	-	-	72 ± 5 (82)	4,5 ± 0,2 (56)^e
5-6-7-8^§	±	±	+	20 ± 5 (269)^b	2,6 ± 0,2 (108)^e

FR, fertilization rate; FI, fertilization index; Ab, antibody; AT, acid Tyrode; *, Number of spermatozoa per oocyte;^§, In groups 2 to 4 of the anti-β1 tests, the antibody was absent during insemination and FR and FI were comparable to the control (group 1) (data not shown), FR and FI in groups 5 to 8 were no significantly different between them and values given here are means; a, significantly different from control, P < 0.0002; b, significantly different from control, P < 0.0001; c, significantly different from group 2, P < 0.03; d, significantly different from group 4, P < 0.003; e, FR on AT zona-free assay was 100%; Results represent the mean ± s. e. m from three different experiments.

ISSN: 1471-213X