Emodin inhibits human sperm functions by reducing sperm [Ca(2+)]i and tyrosine phosphorylation.
Emodin, a bioactive anthraquinone widely used in Chinese traditional medicine, disrupts mouse testicular gene expression in vivo. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of emodin to human sperm in vitro. Different doses of emodin (25, 50, 100, 200 and 400μM) were applied to ejaculated human sperm. The results indicated that 100, 200 and 400μM emodin significantly inhibited the total motility, progressive motility and linear velocity of human sperm. In addition, sperm's ability to penetrate viscous medium together with progesterone induced capacitation and acrosome reaction was also adversely affected by emodin. In contrast, emodin did not affect sperm viability. Furthermore, intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) and tyrosine phosphorylation, which serve as key regulators of sperm function, were dose-dependently reduced by emodin (50-400μM). These results suggest that emodin inhibits human sperm functions by reducing sperm [Ca(2+)]i and suppressing tyrosine phosphorylation in vitro.
['Luo|Tao|T|', 'Li|Na|N|', 'He|Yuan-qiao|YQ|', 'Weng|Shi-qi|SQ|', 'Wang|Tao|T|', 'Zou|Qian-xing|QX|', 'Zeng|Xu-hui|XH|']
D002118:Calcium D004642:Emodin D006801:Humans D008297:Male D010766:Phosphorylation D011374:Progesterone D013075:Sperm Capacitation D013081:Sperm Motility D013094:Spermatozoa D014443:Tyrosine
Emodin Human sperm functions Tyrosine phosphorylation Progesterone CatSper [Ca(2+)](i)