芳烃受体基因敲除(AhR-/-)雄性小鼠中Notch和雌激素受体α(ERα)信号通路的失调
Dysregulation of Notch and ERα signaling in AhR-/- male mice.
作者信息
Huang Bo, Butler Ryan, Miao Yifei, Dai Yubing, Wu Wanfu, Su Wen, Fujii-Kuriyama Yoshiaki, Warner Margaret, Gustafsson Jan-Åke
机构信息
Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204.
Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan.
出版信息
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Oct 18;113(42):11883-11888. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1613269113. Epub 2016 Sep 29.
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is now recognized as an important physiological regulator in the immune and reproductive systems, and in the development of the liver and vascular system. AhR regulates cell cycle, cell proliferation, and differentiation through interacting with other signaling pathways, like estrogen receptor α (ERα), androgen receptor (AR), and Notch signaling. In the present study, we investigated Notch and estrogen signaling in AhR mice. We found low fertility with degenerative changes in the testes, germ cell apoptosis, and a reduced number of early spermatids. There was no change in aromatase, AR, ERα, or ERβ expression in the testis and no detectable change in serum estrogen levels. However, expression of Notch receptors (Notch1 and Notch3) and their target Hairy and Enhancer of Split homolog 1 (HES1) was reduced. In addition, the testosterone level was slightly reduced in the serum. In the mammary fat pad, AhR appeared to regulate estrogen signaling because, in AhR males, there was significant growth of the mammary ducts with high expression of ERα in the ductal epithelium. The enhanced mammary ductal growth appears to be related to overexpression of ERα accompanied by a high proliferation index, whereas the reduced fertility appears to be related defects in Notch signaling that leads to reduced expression of HES1 and, consequently, early maturation of spermatocytes and a depletion of primary spermatids. Previous reports have indicated that AhR pathway is associated with infertility in men. Our results provide a mechanistic explanation for this defect.
芳烃受体(AhR)现已被公认为免疫和生殖系统以及肝脏和血管系统发育中的重要生理调节因子。AhR通过与其他信号通路相互作用来调节细胞周期、细胞增殖和分化,这些信号通路包括雌激素受体α(ERα)、雄激素受体(AR)和Notch信号通路。在本研究中,我们调查了AhR基因敲除小鼠中的Notch和雌激素信号通路。我们发现其生育力低下,伴有睾丸退行性变化、生殖细胞凋亡以及早期精子细胞数量减少。睾丸中芳香化酶、AR、ERα或ERβ的表达没有变化,血清雌激素水平也没有可检测到的变化。然而,Notch受体(Notch1和Notch3)及其靶标分裂增强子同源物1(HES1)的表达降低。此外,血清中的睾酮水平略有降低。在乳腺脂肪垫中,AhR似乎调节雌激素信号通路,因为在AhR基因敲除雄性小鼠中,乳腺导管显著生长,导管上皮中ERα高表达。乳腺导管生长增强似乎与ERα的过度表达以及高增殖指数有关,而生育力降低似乎与Notch信号通路缺陷有关,该缺陷导致HES1表达降低,从而导致精母细胞过早成熟和初级精子细胞耗竭。先前的报道表明AhR信号通路与男性不育有关。我们的结果为这一缺陷提供了一个机制上的解释。