Implication of the estrogen receptors GPER, ESR1, ESR2 in post-testicular maturations of equine spermatozoa

Abstract : Estrogen receptors ESR1, ESR2 and GPER are present on mature ejaculated horse spermatozoa, suggesting these cells as putative targets for estrogens. Indeed, spermatozoa are exposed to high level of estrogens during the transit in the male and female genital tracts but their roles are not investigated. So, we evaluated in vitro the role of 17β-estradiol during post-testicular maturations: regulation of motility, capacitation and acrosome reaction. Moreover according to the pseudo-seasonal breeder status of the stallion, we analyzed the putative seasonal variations in the presence of ESRs in spermatozoa. We showed that ESRs are more present on stallion sperm during the breeding season. We showed that capacitation and acrosome reaction are independent of estradiol action in horse. Estradiol can weakly modulate the motility and this effect is strictly associated with GPER and not with ESR1 and ESR2. The subcellular localization of GPER in the neck on stallion sperm is coherent with this effect. It seems that estrogens are not major regulators of sperm maturations associated to mare genital tract, so they could act during the epididymal maturations.