Evidence of endogenously produced hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and persulfidation in male reproduction

ŘIMNÁČOVÁ, Hedvika, MORAVEC, Jiří, ŠTIAVNICKÁ, Miriama, HAVRÁNKOVÁ, Jiřina, MONSEF, Ladan, HOŠEK, Petr, PROKEŠOVÁ, Šárka, ŽALMANOVÁ, Tereza, FENCLOVÁ, Tereza, PETR, Jaroslav and NEVORAL, Jan. Evidence of endogenously produced hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and persulfidation in male reproduction. Scientific Reports, 2022, 12, Article number: 11426. ISSN 2045-2322.
Year2022
CathegoryScientific publication in impacted journals
Internal link22114.pdf
Abstract

Persulfidation contributes to a group of redox post-translational modifications (PTMs), which arise exclusively on the sulfhydryl group of cysteine as a result of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) action. Redox-active molecules, including H2S, contribute to sperm development; therefore, redox PTMs represent an extremely important signalling pathway in sperm life. In this path, persulfidation prevents protein damage caused by irreversible cysteine hyperoxidation and thus maintains this signalling pathway. In our study, we detected both H2S and its production by all H2S-releasing enzymes (cystathionine gamma-lyase (CTH), cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS), and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST)) in male reproduction, including spermatozoa. We provided evidence that sperm H2S leads to persulfidation of proteins, such as glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, tubulin, and anchor protein A-kinase. Overall, this study suggests that persulfidation, as a part of the redox signalling pathway, is tightly regulated by enzymatic H2S production and is required for sperm viability.