Testosterone-Induced Metabolic Changes in Seminal Vesicle Epithelial cells Alter Plasma Components to Enhance Sperm Fertility

Abstract

AbstractMale infertility depends on both sperm and seminal plasma and is induced by aging. In this study, male infertility was examined with seminal plasma and its synthesis mechanism. The factors ensuringin vivofertilization potential was secreted from seminal vesicle where the factors were synthesized in an androgen-dependent manner. Androgen increased glucose uptake and glycolytic capacity in seminal vesicles, which caused activation of oleic acid synthesis rather than mitochondrial ATP synthesis. ACLY was identified as a key player in this metabolic mechanism for producing oleic acid that was incorporated into the sperm and enhanced fertilization potentialin vivo. In conclusion, an important role of testosterone-induced metabolic pathways in the seminal vesicle was to ensure the synthesis of oleic acid, which is essential for sperm fertilizationin vivo. These results provide new perspectives for the development of biochemical markers of semen to assess male fertility and for artificial insemination techniques.One Sentence SummaryTestosterone induces ACLY expression in seminal vesicle, a key factor of forming seminal plasma to acquirein vivofertilization ability of sperm.