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Gastricsin‐Mediated Proteolytic Degradation of Human Seminal Fluid Proteins at pH Levels Found in the Human Vagina

SZECSI, PAL B. and LILJA, HANS LU orcid (1993) In Journal of Andrology 14(5). p.351-358
Abstract

The proteolytic degradation of human seminal fluid proteins at acidic conditions has been investigated. Upon acidification to the pH level of the human vagina, autoproteolysis of most seminal fluid proteins occurred after 30 minute of incubation at 37°C. The degradation was unaffected by inhibitors of serine, thiol, or me‐tallo proteases, whereas pepstatin prevented any proteolysis. The proteins in seminal fluid depleted of the aspartic protease progastricsin did not degrade upon acidification. Readdition of the progastricsin restored the autoproteolytic ability of seminal fluid. Prostate‐specific antigen, prostatic acid phosphatase, and Zn‐α2‐glycoprotein are quickly degraded; albumin, transferrin, and lactoferrin are... (More)

The proteolytic degradation of human seminal fluid proteins at acidic conditions has been investigated. Upon acidification to the pH level of the human vagina, autoproteolysis of most seminal fluid proteins occurred after 30 minute of incubation at 37°C. The degradation was unaffected by inhibitors of serine, thiol, or me‐tallo proteases, whereas pepstatin prevented any proteolysis. The proteins in seminal fluid depleted of the aspartic protease progastricsin did not degrade upon acidification. Readdition of the progastricsin restored the autoproteolytic ability of seminal fluid. Prostate‐specific antigen, prostatic acid phosphatase, and Zn‐α2‐glycoprotein are quickly degraded; albumin, transferrin, and lactoferrin are degraded more slowly. The low molecular weight fragments of semenogelin I and II and especially β‐microseminoprotein are somewhat resistant to proteolysis. These observations strongly suggest that the aspartic protease progastricsin is responsible for the autoproteolysis of seminal fluid proteins under acidic conditions. This suggests that the function of the enzyme is to degrade seminal fluid proteins deposited in the vagina; this in turn may decrease the antigenic load in the vagina and prevent immuno‐infertility. 1993 American Society of Andrology

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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
aspartic protease, EC 3.4.23.3, fertility, pepstatin, progastricsin, Semen
in
Journal of Andrology
volume
14
issue
5
pages
351 - 358
publisher
American Society of Andrology
external identifiers
  • pmid:7507100
  • scopus:0027380290
ISSN
0196-3635
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
26129c9b-07f5-4f35-bff1-1c97d28fba32
alternative location
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.1939-4640.1993.tb00398.x
date added to LUP
2022-12-08 13:05:32
date last changed
2024-01-02 13:39:44
@article{26129c9b-07f5-4f35-bff1-1c97d28fba32,
  abstract     = {{<p>The proteolytic degradation of human seminal fluid proteins at acidic conditions has been investigated. Upon acidification to the pH level of the human vagina, autoproteolysis of most seminal fluid proteins occurred after 30 minute of incubation at 37°C. The degradation was unaffected by inhibitors of serine, thiol, or me‐tallo proteases, whereas pepstatin prevented any proteolysis. The proteins in seminal fluid depleted of the aspartic protease progastricsin did not degrade upon acidification. Readdition of the progastricsin restored the autoproteolytic ability of seminal fluid. Prostate‐specific antigen, prostatic acid phosphatase, and Zn‐α<sub>2</sub>‐glycoprotein are quickly degraded; albumin, transferrin, and lactoferrin are degraded more slowly. The low molecular weight fragments of semenogelin I and II and especially β‐microseminoprotein are somewhat resistant to proteolysis. These observations strongly suggest that the aspartic protease progastricsin is responsible for the autoproteolysis of seminal fluid proteins under acidic conditions. This suggests that the function of the enzyme is to degrade seminal fluid proteins deposited in the vagina; this in turn may decrease the antigenic load in the vagina and prevent immuno‐infertility. 1993 American Society of Andrology</p>}},
  author       = {{SZECSI, PAL B. and LILJA, HANS}},
  issn         = {{0196-3635}},
  keywords     = {{aspartic protease; EC 3.4.23.3; fertility; pepstatin; progastricsin; Semen}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{351--358}},
  publisher    = {{American Society of Andrology}},
  series       = {{Journal of Andrology}},
  title        = {{Gastricsin‐Mediated Proteolytic Degradation of Human Seminal Fluid Proteins at pH Levels Found in the Human Vagina}},
  url          = {{https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.1939-4640.1993.tb00398.x}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{1993}},
}