A Spermatozoa-Associated Factor Regulates Proenkephalin Gene Expression in the Rat Epididymis
| Autor: | James Douglass, Susanne H. Garrett, James E. Garrett |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1990 |
| Předmět: |
Male
endocrine system medicine.medical_specialty Hypophysectomy Enkephalin medicine.medical_treatment Biology Testicle Endocrinology Internal medicine Gene expression medicine Animals RNA Messenger Protein Precursors Busulfan Molecular Biology Epididymis Efferent ducts Rats Inbred Strains Enkephalins General Medicine Spermatozoa Rats Proenkephalin medicine.anatomical_structure Gene Expression Regulation Androgens Orchiectomy Spermatogenesis |
| Zdroj: | Molecular Endocrinology. 4:108-118 |
| ISSN: | 1944-9917 0888-8809 |
| Popis: | The gene encoding the opioid peptide precursor preproenkephalin is expressed at high levels in the initial segment of the adult rat epididymis. Expression is localized to principal cells, the secretory epithelial cells lining the epididymal duct. During development, epididymal proenkephalin mRNA levels show a pronounced increase at about 44 days of age, coincident with the initial entry of spermatozoa into the epididymal lumen. Hypophysectomy leads to a 60-fold decrease in epididymal proenkephalin mRNA levels. Testosterone replacement can prevent this decline in a manner consistent with an effect upon spermatogenesis. Castration studies demonstrate that a gonadal factor other than testosterone directly regulates epididymal proenkephalin expression, and the results of efferent duct ligation suggest that this factor must be supplied through an intact connection of the testis and epididymis. Proenkephalin mRNA levels in the epididymis correlate with the decline and reappearance of spermatozoa induced by the alkylating agent busulphan. Thus, the developmental profile of proenkephalin expression, coupled with the results of both surgical and pharmacological manipulations of the reproductive tract, indicate that spermatozoa, or a spermatozoa-associated factor, regulate proenkephalin gene expression in the epididymis. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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