Ribeiro Camilla M, Queiróz Daniel B C, Patrão Marília T C C, Denadai-Souza Alexandre, Romano Renata M, Silva Erick J R, Avellar Maria Christina W
Section of Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 04044-020, Brazil.
Section of Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 04044-020, Brazil.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2015 Mar 15;404:141-50. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2015.01.013. Epub 2015 Feb 2.
Herein, we characterized the spatio-temporal expression, cellular distribution and regulation by androgens of the β-defensin SPAG11C, the rat ortholog of the human SPAG11B isoform C, in the developing epididymis by using RT-PCR, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. We observed that Spag11c mRNA was ubiquitously expressed in rat fetuses, but preferentially detected in male reproductive tissues at adulthood. SPAG11C (mRNA and protein) was prenatally mainly detected in the mesenchyme of the Wolffian duct, switching gradually after birth to a predominant localization in the epididymis epithelium during postnatal development. In the adult epididymis, smooth muscle and interstitial cells were also identified as sources of SPAG11C. Furthermore, SPAG11C was differentially immunolocalized on spermatozoa surface during their transit from testis throughout caput and cauda epididymis. Developmental and surgical castration studies suggested that androgens contribute to the epididymal cell type- and region-specific modulation of SPAG11C mRNA levels and immunolocalization. Together our findings provide novel insights into the potential role of β-defensins in the epididymis.
在此，我们通过逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）、原位杂交和免疫组织化学，对β-防御素SPAG11C（人类SPAG11B亚型C的大鼠同源物）在附睾发育过程中的时空表达、细胞分布及雄激素调控进行了表征。我们观察到，Spag11c mRNA在大鼠胎儿中普遍表达，但在成年期主要在雄性生殖组织中检测到。SPAG11C（mRNA和蛋白质）在出生前主要在中肾管间充质中检测到，出生后在附睾上皮中的定位逐渐占主导地位。在成年附睾中，平滑肌和间质细胞也被确定为SPAG11C的来源。此外，在精子从睾丸经附睾头至附睾尾的转运过程中，SPAG11C在精子表面的免疫定位存在差异。发育和手术去势研究表明，雄激素有助于附睾细胞类型和区域特异性调节SPAG11C mRNA水平和免疫定位。我们的研究结果共同为β-防御素在附睾中的潜在作用提供了新的见解。
