Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8528, Japan.
Poult Sci. 2012 Aug;91(8):1997-2003. doi: 10.3382/ps.2012-02236.
The aim of this study was to determine the expression profiles of Toll-like receptors (TLR) in the testis and epididymis of rooster and whether the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, CXCLi2, and TLR-4 was affected by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a TLR-4 ligand. Roosters were intravenously injected with LPS or phosphate-buffered saline. Testes and epididymis were collected before and after 3 or 6 h postinjection. Total RNA was isolated from those tissues and expression of TLR and proinflammatory cytokines was analyzed by reverse-transcription PCR and quantitative real-time PCR. Reverse-transcription PCR analysis revealed that 7 of the known 10 chicken TLR in the testis and 9 of 10 in the epididymis were expressed. Expression of TLR-4 was found in both tissues. Expression of TLR-4 was significantly upregulated by LPS in the testis but not in the epididymis. Injection with LPS upregulated the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and CXCLi2 in the testis and epididymis by 3 to 6 h postinjection. However, injection with phosphate-buffered saline (control) did not affect their expression. These results suggest that proinflammatory cytokines and chemokine expression was upregulated by LPS probably through TLR-4 activation, and thus the reproductive tissues are comprehensively equipped to deal with a pathogenic insult.
本研究旨在确定鸡睾丸和附睾中 Toll 样受体（TLR）的表达谱，以及 TLR-4 配体脂多糖（LPS）是否影响 IL-1β、IL-6、CXCLi2 和 TLR-4 的表达。公鸡通过静脉注射 LPS 或磷酸盐缓冲盐水。在注射后 3 或 6 小时采集睾丸和附睾组织。从这些组织中分离总 RNA，并通过逆转录 PCR 和定量实时 PCR 分析 TLR 和促炎细胞因子的表达。逆转录 PCR 分析显示，在睾丸中表达了已知的 10 种鸡 TLR 中的 7 种，在附睾中表达了 10 种中的 9 种。在这两种组织中均检测到 TLR-4 的表达。LPS 显著上调了睾丸中 TLR-4 的表达，但对附睾中 TLR-4 的表达没有影响。LPS 注射在 3 至 6 小时内上调了睾丸和附睾中 IL-1β、IL-6 和 CXCLi2 的表达。然而，注射磷酸盐缓冲盐水（对照）并没有影响它们的表达。这些结果表明，促炎细胞因子和趋化因子的表达可能通过 TLR-4 激活而上调，因此生殖组织可以全面应对病原体的侵袭。
