Download STUDIES ON MAMMALIAN MATURATION ANTIGEN(SMA2)

STUDIES ON MAMMALIAN MATURATION ANTIGEN(SMA2) ANTIBODY AND THEIR ROLE IN SPERM
FUNCTION
T. Das1, T. Chatterjee2
1
Molecular and Human Genetics div, INDIAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL BIOLOGY, kolkata, India
2
Gamete Immunilogy, INDIAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL BIOLOGY, kolkata, India
To understand the involvement of the antigens in the event of fertility as well as the cause of the infertility of male
and female,the characterization of the sperm antigens and their antibodies that can be used in blocking these
events are essential.The major goat sperm maturation antigen (SMA2) is heavily glycosylated,contains
hexosamine, mannose, galactose and glucose. In the present study,effect of deglycosylation of SMA2 antigen on
the serological reaction and acrosome reaction was investigated. SMA2 glycoantigen showed positive
immunoreactivity after treatment with sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and this generated a 44 kDa protein band.
Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMS) caused aggregation and restricted free mobility of the treated antigen on
SDS-PAGE and the protein band generated by TFMS treatment also showed positive immunoreactivity. The
results supported the views that the protein portion retains its immunoreactivity even after oxidation of the vicinal
hydroxyl group of saccharide component of SMA2 antigen. These data suggests that immunodominent epitopes
exists on the core protein and by which the SMA2 antigen retains its immunoreactivity even after disruption of the
saccharide portion and the protein epitopes have a role in capacitation and acrosome reaction in presence of
antibody which is raised against this protein portion of SMA2 using the negative staining of FITC-PSA(fluorescein
isothiocyanate-labeled Pisum sativum agglutinin) probe. Altogether, the protein portion might fulfill the serological
activity of the antigen as well as the protein epitopes affects the acrosome reaction. In view of this property we
propose that the protein portion of SMA2 antigen might be considered as good immunogen.