Pospechova K, Kopecky M, Nachtigal P, Pospisilova N, Jamborova G, Semecky V
Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
Int J Androl. 2007 Oct;30(5):430-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2006.00738.x. Epub 2007 Feb 12.
Adhesion between Sertoli cells and germ cells is important for spermatogenesis. Cadherins are Ca(2+)-dependent transmembrane proteins that mediate cell-cell adhesion. The aim of this study was to compare the expression of P-cadherin in unilaterally cryptorchid and busulphan-treated rat testes using immunohistochemistry. The pattern of expression of P-cadherin in the seminiferous epithelium changed with the stage of the seminiferous epithelium. The membranes of round spermatids and membranes and cytoplasm of spermatocytes were strongly positive. Our experiments revealed that busulphan treatment (2 doses - 10 mg/kg of body weight - 21 days apart) and cryptorchism led to destructive changes in the structure of seminiferous tubules, together with the decrease in P-cadherin expression. The expression of P-cadherin disappeared in the spermatids segregated from the epithelium while segregated spermatocytes remained still positive for P-cadherin during the 3- to 11-day cryptorchid period. In busulphan-treated animals, the expression of P-cadherin was dependent on the presence or absence of the spermatocytes and spermatids in the tubules. Strong positivity for P-cadherin was observed in the spermatocytes that re-appeared in the regenerating seminiferous epithelium. We suggest that P-cadherin participates in the architecture of adherens junctions in testis, plays an important role in maintaining normal spermatogenesis and that cryptorchism and busulphan treatment lead to adherens junction disintegration.
支持细胞与生殖细胞之间的黏附对于精子发生很重要。钙黏蛋白是介导细胞间黏附的钙依赖性跨膜蛋白。本研究的目的是使用免疫组织化学比较单侧隐睾和白消安处理的大鼠睾丸中P-钙黏蛋白的表达。生精上皮中P-钙黏蛋白的表达模式随生精上皮阶段而变化。圆形精子细胞的细胞膜以及精母细胞的细胞膜和细胞质呈强阳性。我们的实验表明，白消安处理（2剂，10mg/kg体重，间隔21天）和隐睾导致生精小管结构的破坏性变化，同时P-钙黏蛋白表达降低。在隐睾3至11天期间，从上皮分离的精子细胞中P-钙黏蛋白表达消失，而分离的精母细胞对P-钙黏蛋白仍呈阳性。在白消安处理的动物中，P-钙黏蛋白的表达取决于小管中精母细胞和精子细胞的存在与否。在再生生精上皮中重新出现的精母细胞中观察到P-钙黏蛋白呈强阳性。我们认为，P-钙黏蛋白参与睾丸黏着连接的结构，在维持正常精子发生中起重要作用，并且隐睾和白消安处理会导致黏着连接解体。
