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Hypotaurine and taurine in gamete and embryo environments: de novo synthesis via the cysteine sulfinic acid pathway in oviduct cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

Pierre Guérin  and
Yves Ménézo
Pierre Guérin*
Affiliation:
Ecole Vétérinaire Lyon, Marcy l'Etoile, and INSA Biologie 406, Villeurbanne, France.
Yves Ménézo
Affiliation:
Ecole Vétérinaire Lyon, Marcy l'Etoile, and INSA Biologie 406, Villeurbanne, France.
*
P. Guérin, Ecole Vétérinaire Lyon, BP 83, F-69280 Marcy L'Etoile cedex, France.
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Summary

Taurine and hypotaurine seem to be important compounds for sperm survival and capacitation, the fertilisation process and embryo development, and are present in both sperm and genital secretions. Hypotaurine has protective effects against peroxidative damage. We have established a simple method for hypotaurine quantification in sperm and genital secretions. The mean concentration of hypotaurine is significantly higher in bovine than in human spermatozoa and in seminal plasma. We observed that both molecules are secreted by cow, sow, goat and rabbit oviduct epithelial cell monolayers. In rabbit the release is ascorbic acid dependent. Goat oviduct epithelial cells are able to use the transsulfuration pathway to form hypotaurine and taurine from methionine. We were able to identify cysteine sulfinate decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.29) activity in cow and goat tubal monolayers. Our results demonstrate that hypotaurine and taurine are secreted by oviduct epithelium, and synthesised by tubal cells via the cysteine sulfinic acid pathway. The data obtained emphasise the importance of hypotaurine and taurine for gamete maturation, fertilisation and early embryonic development.

Keywords

Cysteine sulfinate decarboxylaseGenital secretionsHypotaurineOviduct cellsSpermatozoa
Type
Article
Information
Zygote , Volume 3 , Issue 4 , November 1995 , pp. 333 - 343
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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