Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Reprod Sci. 2012 Nov;19(11):1232-40. doi: 10.1177/1933719112447126. Epub 2012 Aug 7.
The role of WNT/β-catenin-signaling pathway is critical in mouse Sertoli cell maturation and tumorigenesis. This study aims to examine the effects of WNT/β-catenin signaling on the cultured adult human Sertoli cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) inhibitors, SB216763 and lithium chloride (LiCl), were used to activate WNT/β-catenin-signaling pathway. 5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay and flow cytometry were used to analyze the proliferation and cell cycle of cultured human Sertoli cells, respectively. C-myc expression was accessed by immunofluorescence, real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. The effects of c-myc on Sertoli cell proliferation were investigated by RNA interference technology and BrdU incorporation assay. The results showed activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling stimulated human Sertoli cell proliferation. Obvious increases in c-myc messenger RNA and protein expression were observed after SB216763 and LiCl treatments. Knockdown of c-myc expression attenuated the ability of WNT/β-catenin signaling to stimulate the proliferation of human Sertoli cells. WNT/β-catenin signaling enhances human Sertoli cell proliferation via upregulation of c-myc expression.
WNT/β-catenin 信号通路在小鼠支持细胞成熟和肿瘤发生中起着关键作用。本研究旨在探讨 WNT/β-catenin 信号对培养的成人人类支持细胞的影响及其潜在的分子机制。糖原合成激酶 3β(GSK-3β)抑制剂 SB216763 和氯化锂(LiCl)用于激活 WNT/β-catenin 信号通路。5-溴-2'-脱氧尿苷(BrdU)掺入试验和流式细胞术分别用于分析培养的人支持细胞的增殖和细胞周期。免疫荧光、实时聚合酶链反应和 Western blot 用于检测 c-myc 的表达。通过 RNA 干扰技术和 BrdU 掺入试验研究了 c-myc 对支持细胞增殖的影响。结果表明,WNT/β-catenin 信号的激活刺激了人支持细胞的增殖。在 SB216763 和 LiCl 处理后,c-myc 信使 RNA 和蛋白表达明显增加。c-myc 表达的敲低减弱了 WNT/β-catenin 信号刺激人支持细胞增殖的能力。WNT/β-catenin 信号通过上调 c-myc 表达增强人支持细胞的增殖。