       Document 0749
 DOCN  M9620749
 TI    Human sperm and spermatogonia express a galactoglycerolipid which
       interacts with gp120.
 DT    9602
 AU    Brogi A; Presentini R; Piomboni P; Collodel G; Strazza M; Solazzo D;
       Costantino-Ceccarini E; Institute of General Biology, University of
       Siena, Italy.
 SO    J Submicrosc Cytol Pathol. 1995 Oct;27(4):565-71. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/96076722
 AB    Sexual transmission is a major mode of spread of HIV-1 although the
       mechanisms involved remain to be elucidated. The role of spermatozoa as
       carriers of the HIV is supported by recent publications, while the
       expression of the CD4 on the membrane of the sperm has not yet been
       demonstrated. The data reported in this paper show that a glycolipid
       molecule, most likely the galactosyl-alkyl-acylglycerol, structurally
       similar to galactosylceramides, is present on the surface membrane of
       the spermatozoa. Consistent with a structure similar to
       galactosylceramide, the sperm glycolipid is capable of binding the gp120
       as demonstrated utilizing an improved ELISA assay which favors
       sensitivity and specificity. Immunocytochemistry of testicular tissue
       shows the presence of this glycolipid on the membrane of immature germ
       cells, preferentially in the spermatogonia. These data indicate that
       human sperm express a glycolipid similar in structure to the receptor
       for HIV described on the CD4- neural and colonic epithelial cell lines,
       and moreover suggest that this glycolipid could also function as HIV
       receptor and possibly be implied in its transmission. The demonstration
       that this molecule is also expressed by the spermatogonia suggests its
       involvement in the interaction of the HIV with spermatogonia, as
       recently reported, and could explain the inhibition of spermatogenesis
       observed in AIDS patients.
 DE    Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay  Glycolipids/*METABOLISM  Human  HIV
       Envelope Protein gp120/*METABOLISM  Immunohistochemistry  Male
       Spermatogonia/*METABOLISM  Spermatozoa/*METABOLISM  Support, Non-U.S.
       Gov't  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

