Li Jeffrey, Nitta Barbara Jean, Berger Trish
Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2025 May 8;15(10):1352. doi: 10.3390/ani15101352.
The presence of hemoglobin beta mRNA and protein in the female gonad suggests that hemoglobin beta may be present in the male gonad as well. The frequent occurrence of hemoglobin beta in nonerythroid tissues with hypoxic environments further underscores a potential role for hemoglobin beta in the testis to facilitate the regulation of oxygen availability for the developing germ cells and Sertoli cells since they are separated from the blood supply by multiple tissues. The presence of mRNA and protein were evaluated by qPCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The mRNA and protein for hemoglobin were detected in juvenile and postpuberal porcine testes. The most intense immunolabelling for the protein was present in testicular interstitial cells, in contrast to previously reported ovarian labelling in close proximity to the gamete and observed in porcine ovaries in the current study. The observed decrease in mRNA expression of hemoglobin beta with age is probably due to the change in testicular composition (increase in seminiferous tubule compartment) with age. The localization of hemoglobin beta in the testis will contribute to future understanding of its potential function in facilitating oxygen availability to seminiferous tubules or reducing oxidative damage.
雌性性腺中存在血红蛋白β mRNA和蛋白质，这表明血红蛋白β可能也存在于雄性性腺中。血红蛋白β在低氧环境的非红细胞组织中频繁出现，这进一步凸显了其在睾丸中的潜在作用，即促进对发育中的生殖细胞和支持细胞的氧供应调节，因为它们与血液供应被多种组织分隔开。分别通过qPCR和免疫组织化学评估mRNA和蛋白质的存在情况。在幼年和青春期后的猪睾丸中检测到了血红蛋白的mRNA和蛋白质。与本研究中在猪卵巢中观察到的、先前报道的靠近配子的卵巢标记相反，蛋白质的最强免疫标记出现在睾丸间质细胞中。观察到的血红蛋白β mRNA表达随年龄增长而下降，可能是由于睾丸组成随年龄变化（生精小管部分增加）所致。血红蛋白β在睾丸中的定位将有助于未来了解其在促进生精小管氧供应或减少氧化损伤方面的潜在功能。
