Styrene is the precursor of polystyrene. Human exposure to styrene could occur in occupational and residential settings and via food intake. Styrene is metabolized to styrene-7,8-oxide by cytochrome P450 enzyme. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity mediated by styrene and styrene-7,8-oxide in TM3 testicular Leydig cells in vitro. We first monitored the nuclear fragmentation in Leydig cells after exposure to styrene or styrene-7,8-oxide. Hoechst 33258 cell staining showed that styrene exposure in TM3 Leydig cells did not exhibit nuclear fragmentation at any concentration. In contrast, nuclear fragmentation was seen in styrene-7,8-oxide-exposed cells. These results indicate that cytotoxicity-mediated cell death in Leydig cells is more susceptible to styrene-7,8-oxide than to styrene. Following styrene treatment, procaspase-3 and XIAP protein levels did not show significant changes, and cleaved (active) forms of caspase-3 were not detected. Consistent with the western blot results, the active forms of caspase-3 and XIAP proteins were not prominently altered in the cytoplasm of cells treated with styrene. In contrast to styrene, styrene-7,8-oxide induced cell death in an apoptotic fashion, as seen in caspase-3 activation and increased the expression of XIAP proteins. Taken together, the results obtained in this study demonstrate a fundamental idea that Leydig cells are capable of protecting themselves from cytotoxicity-mediated apoptosis as a result of styrene exposure in vitro. It remains unclear whether the steroid-producing function, i.e., steroidogenesis, of Leydig cells is also unaffected by exposure to styrene. Therefore, further studies are needed to elucidate the endocrine disrupting potential of styrene in Leydig cells.

Kisspeptins, products of KISS1 gene, are ligands of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPR54), and the kisspeptin-GPR54 signaling has an important role as an upstream regulator of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. Interestingly, extrahypothalamic expressions of kisspeptin/GPR-54 in gonads have been found in primates and experimental rodents such as rats and mice. Hamsters, another potent experimental rodent, also have a kisspeptin-GPR54 system in their ovaries. The presence of testicular kisspeptin-GPR54 system, however, remains to be solved. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the kisspeptin is expressed in hamster testis. To do this, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were employed. After the nest PCR, two cDNA products (320 and 280 bp, respectively) were detected by 3% agarose gel electrophoresis, and sequencing analysis revealed that the 320 bp product was correctly amplified from hamster kisspeptin cDNA. Modest immunoreactive (IR) kisspeptins were detected in Leydig-interstitial cells, and the weak signals were detected in germ cells, mostly in round spermatids and residual bodies of elongated spermatids. In the present study, we found the kisspeptin expression in the testis of Syrian hamster. Further studies on the local role(s) of testicular kisspeptin are expected for a better understanding the physiology of hamster testis, including photoperiodic gonadal regression specifically occurred in hamster gonads.

Bromodomain-containing protein 7 (BRD7) participates in many cellular processes and embryo development. BRD7 is down-regulated in various cancers and evidence of its tumor suppressor function has been accumulating. Here, we identified transforming stimulated clone 22 (TSC-22) as a novel BRD7 interacting protein and show its novel function as a positive regulator of BRD7. We found that TSC-22 expression potentiated the inactivation of the extracellular signal-regulate kinase (ERK) pathway by BRD7. Our data establishes TSC-22 as a modulator of BRD7 and unravels the molecular mechanisms that drive the synergistic tumor-suppressing effects of TSC-22 and BRD7. Our findings may open new avenues for developing novel molecular therapies for tumors exhibiting down-regulated BRD7 and/or TSC-22.

The seven oligonucleotides primers were consumed to produce the quantity of unique loci shared to each pen shell team (ULSEPT) and quantity of loci shared by the binary pen shell teams. 154 quantities of LSBPP, with a mediocre of 22.0 per primer, were noticed in the binary pen shell (Atrina pectinata) teams. 328 fragments were recognized in the pen shell team A (PSTA), and 257 in the pen shell team B (PSTB): 77 quantities of ULSEPT (23.48%) in the PSTA and 121 (47.08%) in the PSTB. The band-sharing amount (BS amount) between entity's no. 01 and no. 05 was the highest (0.884) between the binary PSTs. The median band-sharing amount of entities in the PSTA (0.685±0.011) was higher than in those invented from the PSTB (0.640±0.009) (p<0.05). The highest genetic distance presenting substantial molecular difference was between entities PECTINATA no. 06 and PECTINATA no. 04 (0.498). Through this study, it is possible a certain degree to contribute to increasing the cultivation of pen shells, conservation of species, protection of the natural environment, and preservation of ecosystems.