Cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin enhances osmotic tolerance and inhibits the acrosome reaction in rabbit spermatozoa

The effects of cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) treatment on the osmotic tolerance and ability to undergo the acrosome reaction of rabbit spermatozoa, with an unusually high cholesterol/phospholipid ratio in plasma membranes, were examined in two successive experiments. In the first experiment, CLC-pretreated and untreated sperm cells were exposed for 15 min to one of five fructose solutions, adjusted to 20, 80, 290, 500 or 1500 mOsm/L. After the anisoosmotic challenge, the integrity of sperm membranes in the CLC-supplemented (at a dose level of 3 mg/120 × 106 spermatozoa) and control groups was estimated by a modified hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST) associated with a supravital eosin staining test (HE-test). In the second part of the study, the influence of cholesterol supplementation on the acrosome reaction of sperm cells stimulated by either calcium ionophore A23187 (CI) or lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) was evaluated.CLC pretreatment increased viable and live-HOST-responsive sperm rates (P < 0.01) after incubation in anisoosmotic solutions varying from 80 to 1500 mOsm/L. However, CLC supplementation did not influence the percentage of HOST-responsive sperm cells (P > 0.05). A significant interaction was determined between CLC pretreatment and the level of osmotic pressure in maintaining the functional and physical integrities of sperm membranes undergoing osmotic challenges. Both CI and LPC successfully induced the acrosome reaction in rabbit spermatozoa (P < 0.001). Compared with CI, LPC was more effective (P < 0.0001). CLC pretreatment resulted in a significant reduction (P < 0.01) in the percentage of acrosome reacted sperm cells irrespective of the inducing agent, either CI or LPC.In conclusion, CLC treatment enhanced the anisoosmotic tolerance of rabbit spermatozoa and reduced their ability to undergo the acrosome reaction after stimulation by CI or LPC.