Hatano O, Takayama K, Imai T, Waterman M R, Takakusu A, Omura T, Morohashi K
Department of Anatomy, Nara Medical University, Japan.
Development. 1994 Oct;120(10):2787-97. doi: 10.1242/dev.120.10.2787.
We investigated the expression of Ad4BP (also known as SF-1), a transcription factor regulating steroidogenic P-450 genes, in the steroidogenic tissues such as adrenal glands, testes and ovaries through the prenatal and postnatal life of rats. Ad4BP was detected in the primordial adrenal glands and gonads of the 13.5 day postcoitum (d.p.c.) fetus. After the appearance of Ad4BP, a steroidogenic P-450 (P-450(SCC)) was also detected in the adrenal glands and its amount increased gradually. In the fetal gonads of 14.5 d.p.c., a significant amount of Ad4BP was detected in the somatic cells of the testes, whereas only a trace amount was present in the ovaries. The sexually dimorphic expression of Ad4BP continued throughout the neonatal age. Drastic alterations occurred during the first to third week of postnatal age accompanied by functional and structural changes of the gonads. The expression of Ad4BP in the testes attained a maximal level one week after birth and decreased markedly thereafter. By contrast, increase of Ad4BP in the ovary was detected after the first postnatal week. Expression of P-450c17 showed a good correlation with the proliferation of Leydig cells in the testes and theca cells in the ovaries. Immunohistochemical studies revealed the presence of Ad4BP in Sertoli cells as well as Leydig cells up to the pubertal age. In the adult rat testis, however, staining of Sertoli cells decreased significantly. Ad4BP was detected in granulosa, theca, corpus luteum and interstitial gland cells in the ovary although the expression levels in granulosa cells varied among follicles. It is suggested that the Müllerian inhibitory substance gene may be a target of Ad4BP since this gene has a conserved Ad4-binding site within the promoter, which is recognized by Ad4BP expressed in the fetal testes.
我们研究了转录因子Ad4BP（也称为SF-1）在大鼠产前和产后整个生命过程中，在肾上腺、睾丸和卵巢等类固醇生成组织中的表达情况。在妊娠13.5天（d.p.c.）胎儿的原始肾上腺和性腺中检测到了Ad4BP。Ad4BP出现后，在肾上腺中也检测到了一种类固醇生成性细胞色素P-450（P-450(SCC)），其含量逐渐增加。在妊娠14.5 d.p.c.的胎儿性腺中，在睾丸的体细胞中检测到大量Ad4BP，而在卵巢中仅存在微量。Ad4BP的性别二态性表达在新生儿期持续存在。在出生后的第一至第三周发生了剧烈变化，同时性腺出现功能和结构改变。睾丸中Ad4BP的表达在出生后一周达到最高水平，此后显著下降。相比之下，在出生后第一周后检测到卵巢中Ad4BP增加。P-450c17的表达与睾丸中的Leydig细胞和卵巢中的卵泡膜细胞的增殖具有良好的相关性。免疫组织化学研究显示，直到青春期，支持细胞以及Leydig细胞中都存在Ad4BP。然而，在成年大鼠睾丸中，支持细胞的染色显著减少。在卵巢的颗粒细胞、卵泡膜细胞、黄体和间质腺细胞中检测到了Ad4BP，尽管颗粒细胞中的表达水平在不同卵泡之间有所差异。由于缪勒管抑制物质基因在启动子内有一个保守的Ad4结合位点，该位点可被胎儿睾丸中表达的Ad4BP识别，因此提示该基因可能是Ad4BP作用的靶点。
