Publikationsdatenbank

Seasonal expression of INSL3 and Lgr8/Insl3 receptor transcripts indicates variable differentiation of Leydig cells in the roe deer testis (2004)

Art

Zeitschriftenartikel / wissenschaftlicher Beitrag

Autoren

Hombach-Klonisch, Sabine

Schön, Jennifer

Kehlen, Astrid

Blottner, Steffen

Klonisch, Thomas

Quelle

Biology of reproduction

Bandzählung: 71

Heftzählung: 4

Seiten: 1079 – 1087

ISSN: 0006-3363

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

Pubmed: 15151926

Kontakt

Institut für Veterinär-Biochemie

Oertzenweg 19 b
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62225
biochemie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Roe deer are seasonal breeders and show cyclic variation in testicular volume and cellular differentiation within the tubular and interstitial testis compartment. We have employed the roe deer as a model to elucidate the expression of the postpubertal Leydig cell marker INSL3 during seasonal changes in Leydig cell differentiation. Roe deer testis and serum samples were collected bimonthly throughout the complete reproductive cycle. Peak levels of testicular Insl3 mRNA and INSL3 immunoprotein were detected well before the onset of rut in April and coincided with the highest percentage of INSL3-positive cell number/square millimeter of testicular interstitial area. During the winter (December, February), roe deer INSL3 was exclusively detected in a subpopulation of alpha-actin-negative, spindle-shaped peritubular cells. Concordant with the increase in INSL3 production in April and 1 mo after the reported LH peak, a sharp increase in serum testosterone concentrations was observed. High serum testosterone concentrations coincided with the presence of detectable 17alpha-hydroxylase, mRNA and protein, in Leydig cells. Upregulation of INSL3 production in spring appeared to reflect LH-dependent differentiation of Leydig cells. The considerable changes in percentage of INSL3 immunopositive cells within the numerically constant interstitial cell population indicated cyclic seasonal de- and redifferentiation of Leydig cells. A complex functional role of the INSL3/LGR8 ligand-receptor system in the roe deer testis was suggested by the detection of specific hybridization signals for roe deer Lgr8 transcripts in Sertoli cells of the roe deer testis.