Park Jin-Soo, Cheon Yong-Pil, Choi Donchan, Lee Sung-Ho
Department of Biotechnology, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Korea.
Division of Developmental Biology and Physiology, School of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Sungshin University, Seoul 02844, Korea.
Dev Reprod. 2022 Sep;26(3):107-115. doi: 10.12717/DR.2022.26.3.107. Epub 2022 Sep 30.
Kisspeptins, products of KISS1 gene, are ligands of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPR54), and the kisspeptin-GPR54 signaling has an important role as an upstream regulator of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. Interestingly, extrahypothalamic expressions of kisspeptin/GPR-54 in gonads have been found in primates and experimental rodents such as rats and mice. Hamsters, another potent experimental rodent, also have a kisspeptin-GPR54 system in their ovaries. The presence of testicular kisspeptin-GPR54 system, however, remains to be solved. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the kisspeptin is expressed in hamster testis. To do this, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were employed. After the nest PCR, two cDNA products (320 and 280 bp, respectively) were detected by 3% agarose gel electrophoresis, and sequencing analysis revealed that the 320 bp product was correctly amplified from hamster kisspeptin cDNA. Modest immunoreactive (IR) kisspeptins were detected in Leydig-interstitial cells, and the weak signals were detected in germ cells, mostly in round spermatids and residual bodies of elongated spermatids. In the present study, we found the kisspeptin expression in the testis of Syrian hamster. Further studies on the local role(s) of testicular kisspeptin are expected for a better understanding the physiology of hamster testis, including photoperiodic gonadal regression specifically occurred in hamster gonads.
kisspeptins是KISS1基因的产物，是G蛋白偶联受体（GPR54）的配体，且kisspeptin - GPR54信号通路作为促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）神经元的上游调节因子发挥着重要作用。有趣的是，在灵长类动物以及大鼠和小鼠等实验啮齿动物的性腺中发现了kisspeptin / GPR - 54的下丘脑外表达。仓鼠作为另一种常用的实验啮齿动物，其卵巢中也存在kisspeptin - GPR54系统。然而，睾丸中kisspeptin - GPR54系统的存在仍有待确定。本研究旨在确定kisspeptin是否在仓鼠睾丸中表达。为此，采用了逆转录 - 聚合酶链反应（RT - PCR）和免疫组织化学（IHC）方法。巢式PCR后，通过3%琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测到两个cDNA产物（分别为320和280 bp），测序分析表明320 bp的产物是从仓鼠kisspeptin cDNA正确扩增而来。在睾丸间质细胞中检测到适度的免疫反应性（IR）kisspeptins，在生殖细胞中检测到微弱信号，主要存在于圆形精子细胞和延长型精子细胞的残余体中。在本研究中，我们发现叙利亚仓鼠睾丸中有kisspeptin表达。预计对睾丸kisspeptin的局部作用进行进一步研究，以更好地理解仓鼠睾丸的生理学，包括仓鼠性腺中特有的光周期性腺退化。
