Characterization of non-olfactory GPCRs in human sperm with a focus on GPR18

• DOI: 10.1038/srep32255
• Publication Date: 2016-08-30T09:39:18Z
• Authors: Caroline Flegel; Felix Vogel; Adrian Hofreuter; Sebastian Wojcik; Clara Schoeder; Katarzyna Kieć-Ko...; Norbert H. Brockm...; Christa E. Müller; Christian Becker; Janine Altmüller; Hanns Hatt; Günter Gisselmann
• Keywords: GPR18; Acrosome reaction; Capacitation; Rhodopsin-like receptors

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) transduce external chemical cues into intracellular signals and are involved in a plethora of physiological processes, but knowledge regarding the function these spermatozoa is limited. In present study, we performed RNA-Seq analyzed expression all GPCRs except olfactory human spermatozoa. We revealed up to 223 different GPCR transcripts (FPKM > 0.1) identified GPR18, newly described cannabinoid receptor, together with GPR137 GPR135, as one three most highly expressed GPCRs. To date, GPR18 was completely unknown confirmed using RT-PCR immuncytochemistry experiments localized protein midpiece Stimulation ligand N-arachidonoylglycine induced phosphorylation 12 kinases, some them for example known be acrosome reaction. line this, affected cytoskeleton by changing levels F-actin inducing reaction concentration-dependent manner. Our results indicate that might processes spermatozoa, suggesting potential player sperm physiology.