Squillacioti Caterina, Mirabella Nicola, Liguori Giovanna, Germano Giuseppe, Pelagalli Alessandra
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Napoli Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy.
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy.
Animals (Basel). 2021 May 25;11(6):1539. doi: 10.3390/ani11061539.
The efferent ductules and the epididymis are parts of the male reproductive system where spermatozoa mature. Specialized epithelial cells in these ducts contribute to the transport of fluids produced by spermatozoa's metabolic activity. Aquaporins (AQPs) have been demonstrated to be expressed in the spermatozoan membrane and testis epithelial cells, where they contribute to regulating spermatozoan volume and transit through environments of differing osmolality. Due to the lack of detailed literature regarding AQP expression in the canine male genital tract, the aim of this study was to investigate both the distribution and expression of AQP7, AQP8, and AQP9 in the efferent ductules and epididymal regions (caput, corpus, and cauda) from normal and cryptorchid dogs by using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Our results show different patterns for the distribution and expression of the examined AQPs, with particular evidence of their upregulation in the caput and downregulation in the cauda region of the canine cryptorchid epididymis. These findings are associated with a modulation of Hsp70 and caspase-3 expression, suggesting the participation of AQPs in the luminal microenvironment modifications that are peculiar characteristics of this pathophysiological condition.
输出小管和附睾是雄性生殖系统中精子成熟的部位。这些管道中的特化上皮细胞有助于运输精子代谢活动产生的液体。水通道蛋白(AQPs)已被证明在精子膜和睾丸上皮细胞中表达,它们有助于调节精子体积以及在不同渗透压环境中的转运。由于缺乏关于犬类雄性生殖道中AQP表达的详细文献,本研究的目的是通过免疫组织化学、蛋白质印迹法和实时逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR),研究正常犬和隐睾犬的输出小管和附睾区域(头、体和尾)中AQP7、AQP8和AQP9的分布和表达。我们的结果显示,所检测的水通道蛋白的分布和表达模式不同,特别是在犬隐睾附睾的头部上调而在尾部下调。这些发现与热休克蛋白70(Hsp70)和半胱天冬酶-3(caspase-3)表达的调节有关,表明水通道蛋白参与了这种病理生理状况特有的管腔微环境改变。