Glycodelin-A interacts with fucosyltransferase on human sperm plasma membrane to inhibit spermatozoa-zona pellucida binding

Fertilization depends on successful binding of the spermatozoa to the zona pellucida of the oocyte. Glycodelin-A inhibits spermatozoa-zona pellucida binding. Previous data showed that glycodelin-A receptor(s) and zona pellucida protein receptor(s) on human spermatozoa are closely related. Using a chemical cross-linking approach, the glycodelin-A-sperm receptor complex was isolated. The receptor was identified to be fucosyltransferase-5 (FUT5) by mass spectrometry and confirmed with the use of anti-FUT5 antibodies. Sperm FUT5 was an externally oriented integral membrane protein in the acrosomal region of human spermatozoa. Biologically active FUT5 was purified from spermatozoa. Co-immunoprecipitation confirmed the interaction between glycodelin-A and sperm FUT5. Solubilized zona pellucida reduced the binding of glycodelin-A to sperm FUT5. An anti-FUT5 antibody and FUT5 acceptor blocked the binding of glycodelin-A to spermatozoa and the zona binding inhibitory activity of glycodelin-A. Sperm FUT5 bound strongly to intact and solubilized human zona pellucida. The equilibrium dissociation constant of sperm FUT5 binding to solubilized zona pellucida was 42.82 pmol/ml. These observations suggest that human sperm FUT5 is a receptor of glycodelin-A and zona pellucida proteins, and that glycodelin-A inhibits spermatozoa-zona binding by blocking the binding of sperm FUT5 to the zona pellucida.