PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Park, Kwang-Hyun
AU  - Kim, Byung-Ju
AU  - Kang, John
AU  - Nam, Tae-Sik
AU  - Lim, Jung Min
AU  - Kim, Hyoung Tae
AU  - Park, Jong Kwan
AU  - Kim, Young Gon
AU  - Chae, Soo-Wan
AU  - Kim, Uh-Hyun
TI  - Ca<sup>2+</sup> Signaling Tools Acquired from Prostasomes Are Required for Progesterone-Induced Sperm Motility
AID  - 10.1126/scisignal.2001595
DP  - 2011 May 17
TA  - Science Signaling
PG  - ra31--ra31
VI  - 4
IP  - 173
4099  - http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/4/173/ra31.short
4100  - http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/4/173/ra31.full
SO  - Sci. Signal.2011 May 17; 4
AB  - Progesterone-induced calcium ion (Ca2+) signals in the neck region of sperm play a pivotal role in promoting sperm motility. Here, we show that a long-lasting Ca2+ signal required for sperm motility in response to progesterone depends on their pH-dependent fusion with prostasomes, which are small vesicles secreted by the prostate. We found that prostasome fusion led to the transfer of progesterone receptors, cyclic adenosine diphosphoribose (cADPR)–synthesizing enzymes, ryanodine receptors (RyRs), and other Ca2+ signaling tools from prostasomes to the sperm neck. Progesterone-induced sperm motility relied on cADPR-mediated Ca2+ mobilization through RyR located on acidic Ca2+ stores, followed by Ca2+ entry through store-operated channels. Treatment of prostasome-fused sperm with a cADPR antagonist or fusion with prostasomes in which type 2 RyR was depleted resulted in low fertilization rates, reduced sperm motility, or both. Thus, we conclude that sperm motility depends on the acquisition of Ca2+ signaling tools from prostasomes.