No abstract

The immunosuppressive component was isolated from boar seminal vesicle secretion and administered i.p. or rectally to male mice. By means of the immunofluorescent method, the seminal immunosuppressive component was found on the membranes of 50-70% of white blood cells of treated mice the first day after i.p. and the third day after rectal administration. The immunosuppressive component was observed on the membranes of 10-20% of white cells even at the 17th day after treatment. Intraperitoneal or rectal administration of the immunosuppressive component led to a decrease in the white cell concentration in blood of treated mice. These findings indicate that rectal deposition of semen may compromise some aspects of the immune system and may be an important cofactor in the development of viral or bacterial infections among homosexual men.

Cumulus cells surrounding pre-ovulatory human oocytes were found to secrete a variety of proteins which became firmly associated with the cumulus intercellular material. Antibodies raised against human cumuli oophori completely blocked fertilization in vitro by impairing the sperm-zona pellucida interaction. A group of glycoproteins of high mol. wt were identified as the main cumulus cell secretory products. These proteins showed a marked affinity for human spermatozoa and were potent stimulators of the conversion of human and boar proacrosin into acrosin and of human sperm acrosome reaction. Another fraction of proteins of human cumulus intercellular matrix with an apparent mol. wt of approximately 25,000 daltons was also found to stimulate significantly the acrosome reaction of human spermatozoa, although this fraction had no proacrosin-converting activity. These results indicate that proteins secreted by pre-ovulatory human cumulus cells have an indispensable role in the development of human sperm fertilizing ability. This effect seems to be realized by a concerted action of different types of cumulus-derived proteins just prior to and during the sperm-zona pellucida interaction. Disorders of cumulus cell secretory activity may account for some cases of idiopathic infertility and repeated IVF failures.

Urban M., Beran M., Adámek L., Drahorád J., Molík P., Matušová K. (2012): Cyclodextrin production from amaranth starch by cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase produced by Paenibacillus macerans CCM 2012. Czech J. Food Sci., 30: 15-20.Cyclodextrins (CDs) are synthesised by bacterial extracellular enzym cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase, E.C. 2.4.1.19) from starch or starch derivatives. The production of α-, β-, and γ-CDs by CGTase from Paenibacillus macerans CCM 2012 was studied in regard to the effect of the starch source (amaranth, maize) on the yield of CDs. CGTase was produced by a 3-day sterile cultivation in the laboratory Bench-top fermentor BiostatB under aerobic conditions. CGTase was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation at 60% saturation. Electrophoretic analysis (SDS-PAGE) of the isolated CGTase enzyme was carried out according to the method by Laemmli (1970), the apparent molecular weight was in the range from 105 kDa to 114 kDa. All the commercially important α-, β-, and γ-CDs were detected chromatographically after the hydrolysis of the maize and amaranth (amaranthus cruentus) starches with the isolated enzyme. The amaranth starch appears to be an excellent substrate for CDs production because of the high dispersibility, high starch-granule susceptibility to amylases, and the exceptionally high amylopectin content.