OBJECTIVETo study the influence of Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) infection on the sperm-egg binding associated molecule, sulfogalactosylglycerolipid (SGG).

METHODSEpididymal sperm was collected from adult mice. The sperm suspension was randomly divided into 4 groups: Uu group (coincubated with Uu suspension), medium group (coincubated with Uu medium), normal group and PRS group. The indirect immunofluorescence technique was used to localize SGG on the sperm membrane and to observe the influence of Uu on SGG.

RESULTSIn the epididymal sperm, SGG was localized to the head plasma membrane overlaying the acrosomal region. The SGG-positive rate of the sperm coincubated with Uu medium was 82.0%, while that of the sperm coincubated with Uu suspension was reduced to 39.0% (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONUu can adhere to the sperm surface. SGG might be a membrane receptor on the sperm surface for Uu infection of the mammalian male genital tract. The blockage of SGG by Uu might be one of the molecular mechanisms correlative to male infertility induced by Uu infection.

Animals ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Galactolipids ; biosynthesis ; Infertility, Male ; etiology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Random Allocation ; Sperm-Ovum Interactions ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; Ureaplasma Infections ; complications ; metabolism ; Ureaplasma urealyticum