Mouse sperm energy restriction and recovery (SER) revealed novel metabolic pathways

Mammalian sperm must undergo capacitation to become fertilization-competent. While working on mice, we recently developed a new methodology for treating sperm in vitro, which results in higher rates of fertilization and embryo development after in vitro fertilization. Sperm incubated in media devoid of nutrients lose motility, although they remain viable. Upon re-adding energy substrates, sperm resume motility and become capacitated with improved functionality. Here, we explore how sperm energy restriction and recovery (SER) treatment affects sperm metabolism and capacitation-associated signaling. Using extracellular flux analysis and metabolite profiling and tracing via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS), we found that the levels of many metabolites were altered during the starvation phase of SER. Of particular interest, two metabolites, AMP and L-carnitine, were significantly increased in energy-restricted sperm. Upon re-addition of glucose and initiation of capacitation, most metabolite levels recovered and closely mimic the levels observed in capacitating sperm that have not undergone starvation. In both control and SER-treated sperm, incubation under capacitating conditions upregulated glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. However, ATP levels were diminished, presumably reflecting the increased energy consumption during capacitation. Flux data following the fate of C-13 glucose indicate that, similar to other cells with high glucose consumption rates, pyruvate is converted into C-13-lactate and, with lower efficiency, into C-13-acetate, which are then released into the incubation media. Furthermore, our metabolic flux data show that exogenously supplied glucose is converted into citrate, providing evidence that in sperm cells, as in somatic cells, glycolytic products can be converted into Krebs cycle metabolites.

Automated summary

We developed a new method for treating sperm in vitro, resulting in higher fertilization and embryo development rates. Energy-restricted sperm showed altered metabolite levels, and upon re-addition of glucose and capacitation, most metabolites recovered. Both control and energy-restricted sperm showed increased glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation under capacitating conditions. Exogenously supplied glucose was converted into citrate, suggesting that glycolytic products can be converted into Krebs cycle metabolites in sperm cells.