DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Ankrd7, a Novel Gene Specifically Expressed in Sertoli Cells and Its Potential Roles in Sertoli Cell Maturation

  • Received : 2008.10.23
  • Accepted : 2008.11.27
  • Published : 2009.02.28

Abstract

The somatic Sertoli cells play an essential role in testis determination and spermatogenesis by providing nutrition and structural support. In the current study, we report on the novel Ankrd7 gene that contains five ankyrin repeat domains. This gene was specifically expressed in Sertoli cells and was regulated in a maturation-dependent manner. Its expression was restricted to testicular tissue, and its mRNA could be detected in testes at as early as 14 dpp (days post partum) using RT-PCR analysis. In both testicular tissue sections and in vitro cultured Sertoli cells, the Ankrd7 protein was localized to the nucleus of the Sertoli cell. Immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry investigations showed that the protein was detectable in testicular tissues at 20 dpp, at which time Sertoli cells were gradually differentiating into their mature cellular form. These results suggest that Ankrd7 is probably involved in the process of Sertoli cell maturation and in spermatogenesis.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : Weifang University Foundation, Shandong Natural Science Foundation

References

  1. Alsheimer, M., von Glasenapp, E., Schnolzer, M., Heid, H., and Benavente, R. (2000). Meiotic lamin C2: the unique aminoterminal hexapeptide GNAEGR is essential for nuclear envelope association. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97, 13120-13125 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.240466597
  2. Andersson, A.M., Muller, J., and Skakkebaek, N.E. (1998). Different roles of prepubertal and postpubertal germ cells and Sertoli cells in the regulation of serum inhibin B levels. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 83, 4451-4458 https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.83.12.4451
  3. Bork, P. (1993). Hundreds of ankyrin-like repeats in functionally diverse proteins: mobile modules that cross phyla horizontally? Proteins 17, 363-374 https://doi.org/10.1002/prot.340170405
  4. Borland, K., Mita, M., Oppenheimer, C.L., Blinderman, L.A., Massague, J., Hall, P.F., and Czech, M.P. (1984). The actions of insulin-like growth factors I and II on cultured Sertoli cells. Endocrinology 114, 240-246 https://doi.org/10.1210/endo-114-1-240
  5. Cancilla, B., and Risbridger, G.P. (1998). Differential localization of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1, -2, -3, and -4 in fetal, immature, and adult rat testes. Biol. Reprod. 58, 1138-1145 https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod58.5.1138
  6. Cheng, C.Y., and Mruk, D.D. (2002). Cell junction dynamics in the testis: Sertoli-germ cell interactions and male contraceptive development. Physiol. Rev. 82, 825-874 https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00009.2002
  7. Debrincat, M.A., Zhang, J.G., Willson, T.A., Silke, J., Connolly, L.M., Simpson, R.J., Alexander, W.S., Nicola, N.A., Kile, B.T., and Hilton, D.J. (2007). Ankyrin repeat and suppressors of cytokine signaling boxprotein asb-9 targets creatine kinase B for degradation. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 4728-4737 https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M609164200
  8. Feng, L.X., Ravindranath, N., and Dym, M. (2000). Stem cell factor/c-kit up-regulates cyclin D3 and promotes cell cycle progression via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/p70 S6 kinase pathway in spermatogonia. J. Biol. Chem. 275, 25572-25576 https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M002218200
  9. Ferguson, J.E., 3rd, Wu, Y., Smith, K., Charles, P., Powers, K., Wang, H., and Patterson, C. (2007). ASB4 is a hydroxylation substrate of FIH and promotes vascular differentiation via an oxygen-dependent mechanism. Mol. Cell Biol. 27, 6407-6419 https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.00511-07
  10. Gao, F., Maiti, S., Alam, N., Zhang, Z., Deng, J.M., Behringer, R.R., Lecureuil, C., Guillou, F., and Huff, V. (2006). The Wilms tumor gene, Wt1, is required for Sox9 expression and maintenance of tubular architecture in the developing testis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103, 11987-11992 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0600994103
  11. Karl, A.F., and Griswold, M.D. (1990). Sertoli cells of the testis: preparation of cell cultures and effects of retinoids. Methods Enzymol. 190, 71-75
  12. Li, J.Y., Chai, B.X., Zhang, W., Liu, Y.Q., Ammori, J.B., and Mulholland, M.W. (2007). Ankyrin repeat and SOCS box containing protein 4 (Asb-4) interacts with GPS1 (CSN1) and inhibits c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activity. Cell. Signal. 19, 1185-1192 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cellsig.2006.12.010
  13. Lux, S.E., Tse, W.T., Menninger, J.C., John, K.M., Harris, P., Shalev, O., Chilcote, R.R., Marchesi, S.L., Watkins, P.C., Bennett, V., et al. (1990). Hereditary spherocytosis associated with deletion of human erythrocyte ankyrin gene on chromosome 8. Nature 345, 736-739 https://doi.org/10.1038/345736a0
  14. Mackay, S. (2000). Gonadal development in mammals at the cellular and molecular levels. Int. Rev. Cytol. 200, 47-99
  15. Mauduit, C., Hamamah, S., and Benahmed, M. (1999). Stem cell factor/c-kit system in spermatogenesis. Hum. Reprod. Update 5, 535-545 https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/5.5.535
  16. McDaneld, T.G., and Spurlock, D.M. (2008). Ankyrin repeat and SOCS box-containing protein (ASB) 15 alters differentiation of mouse C2C12 myoblasts and phosphorylation of MAPK and Akt. J. Animal Sci. 1910
  17. Meng, J., Holdcraft, R.W., Shima, J.E., Griswold, M.D., and Braun, R.E. (2005). Androgens regulate the permeability of the blood-testis barrier. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 16696-16700 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0506084102
  18. Orth, J.M., Gunsalus, G.L., and Lamperti, A.A. (1988). Evidence from Sertoli cell-depleted rats indicates that spermatid number in adults depends on numbers of Sertoli cells produced during perinatal development. Endocrinology 122, 787-794 https://doi.org/10.1210/endo-122-3-787
  19. Petersen, C., Boitani, C., Froysa, B., and Soder, O. (2001). Transforming growth factor-alpha stimulates proliferation of rat Sertoli cells. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 181, 221-227 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0303-7207(01)00485-3
  20. Petersen, C., and Soder, O. (2006). The sertoli cell--a hormonal target and 'super' nurse for germ cells that determines testicular size. Hormone Res. 66, 153-161 https://doi.org/10.1159/000094142
  21. Rao, M.K., Pham, J., Imam, J.S., MacLean, J.A., Murali, D., Furuta, Y., Sinha-Hikim, A.P., and Wilkinson, M.F. (2006). Tissue-specific RNAi reveals that WT1 expression in nurse cells controls germ cell survival and spermatogenesis. Genes Dev. 20, 147-152 https://doi.org/10.1101/gad1367806
  22. Sharpe, R.M., McKinnell, C., Kivlin, C., and Fisher, J.S. (2003). Proliferation and functional maturation of Sertoli cells, and their relevance to disorders of testis function in adulthood. Reproduction 125, 769-784 https://doi.org/10.1530/rep.0.1250769
  23. Shi, Y.Q., Wang, Q.Z., Liao, S.Y., Zhang, Y., Liu, Y.X., and Han, C.S. (2006). in vitro propagation of spermatogonial stem cells from KM mice. Front Biosci. 11, 2614-2622 https://doi.org/10.2741/1995
  24. Skinner, M.K., and Griswold, M.D. (1980). Sertoli cells synthesize and secrete transferrin-like protein. J. Biol. Chem. 255, 9523-9525
  25. Sultana, T., Svechnikov, K., Weber, G., and Soder, O. (2000). Molecular cloning and expression of a functionally different alternative splice variant of prointerleukin-1alpha from the rat testis. Endocrinology 141, 4413-4418 https://doi.org/10.1210/en.141.12.4413
  26. Wahab-Wahlgren, A., Holst, M., Ayele, D., Sultana, T., Parvinen, M., Gustafsson, K., Granholm, T., and Soder, O. (2000). Constitutive production of interleukin-1alpha mRNA and protein in the developing rat testis. Int. J. Androl. 23, 360-365 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2605.2000.t01-1-00253.x
  27. Walker, W.H., and Cheng, J. (2005). FSH and testosterone signaling in Sertoli cells. Reproduction 130, 15-28 https://doi.org/10.1530/rep.1.00358

Cited by

  1. Eukaryotic Protein Recruitment into the Chlamydia Inclusion: Implications for Survival and Growth vol.7, pp.5, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036843