Estrogen signaling regulates seasonal changes of the prostate in wild ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus)

The reproductive tissues including the uterus undergo dramatic changes in seasonal breeders from the breeding to non-breeding seasons. Classically, sex steroid hormones play important roles in the uterine morphology and functions. To clarify the relationship between sex steroid hormones and seasonal changes in the uterine morphology and functions, the wild Daurian ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus) were used as seasonal breeder model. And the immunolocalizations and expression levels of androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptors α and β (ERα and ERβ) and cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom) were investigated in the uteri of the wild Daurian ground squirrels in the breeding (April) and the non-breeding (June) seasons via immunohistochemistry, Western blot and RT-PCR. Histologically, the uterine weight, the thickness of endometrium and the glandular density were significantly higher in the uteri of the breeding season than those of the non-breeding season. In both seasons, the immunostaining of AR was only presented in stromal cells of the uteri; the positive staining of ERα and ERβ were localized in stromal cells and glandular cells; P450arom was merely immunolocalized in glandular cells. The protein and mRNA expression levels of ERα, ERβ and P450arom were higher in the uteri of the breeding season than those of the non-breeding season; conversely, the expressions of AR were higher in the uteri of the non-breeding season comparing with those of the breeding season in both protein and mRNA levels. The AR: ER ratio in the uteri of the non-breeding season exceeded the AR: ER ratio in the uteri of the breeding season in the wild Daurian ground squirrels. These results suggested that seasonal changes in the expression levels of AR, ERs and P450arom might be correlated with the uterine morphology and histology changes, and estrogen may play an important autocrine/paracrine role in regulating the uterine functions of the wild Daurian ground squirrels.

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Seasonal Changes in Morphology and Immunoactivity of PDGF-A and Its Receptor PDGFR-alpha in the Epididymis of the Wild Ground Squirrels (Citellus dauricus Brandt).

Biology of Reproduction ◽

10.1093/biolreprod/85.s1.436 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 85 (Suppl_1) ◽

pp. 436-436

Author(s):

Mengyuan Zhang ◽

Han Cao ◽

Dai Yu ◽

Shuqiang Liu ◽

Meiyu Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seasonal Changes ◽

Ground Squirrels ◽

Pdgfr Alpha

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Seasonal expressions of SPAG11A and androgen receptor in the epididymis of the wild ground squirrels (Citellus dauricus Brandt)

European Journal of Histochemistry ◽

10.4081/ejh.2020.3111 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 64 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Wenyang Yu ◽

Ziwen Zhang ◽

Pei Liu ◽

Xiaoying Yang ◽

Haolin Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Androgen Receptor ◽

Luteinizing Hormone ◽

Epithelial Cells ◽

Breeding Season ◽

Seasonal Changes ◽

Follicle Stimulating Hormone ◽

Ground Squirrels ◽

Mrna Levels ◽

Real Time Quantitative Pcr

Sperm-associated antigen 11A (SPAG11A) is expressed exclusively in the epididymis, which can specifically regulate sperm maturation. The aim of this study was to investigate the seasonal expressions of beta-defensin (SPAG11A) and androgen receptor (AR) in the epididymis of the wild ground squirrels (Citellus dauricus Brandt). Morphologically, the results showed that epididymis length and weight in the breeding season were significantly higher than those of the non-breeding season. Histologically, the results revealed that enlarged lumen diameters, thickened epithelial and abundant sperm in the breeding season while reduced lumen diameters and epithelial with no sperm in the non-breeding season. SPAG11A was intensely expressed in cytoplasm and nucleus of epithelial cells in the breeding season, and weaker staining in the non-breeding season. The immunostaining of AR was only presented in nucleus of smooth muscle cells and epithelial cells in the whole epididymis with stronger staining in the breeding season. The results of real-time quantitative PCR also showed that the mRNA levels of SPAG11A and AR in the epididymis during the breeding season were significantly higher than those of the non-breeding season. In addition, the levels of testosterone (T), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in the serum were higher during the breeding season. Taken together, these results suggested that SPAG11A might play an important role to regulate seasonal changes in epididymal function of the wild ground squirrels.

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Seasonal changes in the composition of titin isoforms in muscles of hibernating ground squirrels

BIOPHYSICS ◽

10.1134/s0006350908060249 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 53 (6) ◽

pp. 598-603 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

I. M. Vikhlyantsev ◽

E. V. Karaduleva ◽

Z. A. Podlubnaya

Keyword(s):

Seasonal Changes ◽

Ground Squirrels ◽

Titin Isoforms

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Seasonal changes in the conditioned reflex activity of arctic long-tailed ground squirrels

Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology ◽

10.1007/bf01189325 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 147-149

Author(s):

S. R. Chaplygina

Keyword(s):

Conditioned Reflex ◽

Seasonal Changes ◽

Ground Squirrels ◽

Reflex Activity ◽

Conditioned Reflex Activity

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Seasonal expressions of VEGF and its receptors VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 in the prostate of the wild ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus)

European Journal of Histochemistry ◽

10.4081/ejh.2021.3219 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Yuchen Yao ◽

Wenqian Xie ◽

Di Chen ◽

Yingying Han ◽

Zhengrong Yuan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mrna Expression ◽

Breeding Season ◽

Stromal Cells ◽

Seasonal Changes ◽

Ground Squirrels ◽

Vascular Endothelial ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Breeding Seasons ◽

Endothelial Growth Factor ◽

Endothelial Growth Factors

As a vital male accessory reproductive gonad, the prostate requires vascular endothelial growth factors for promoting its growth and development. In this study, we investigated the localizations and expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors including VEGF-receptor1 (VEFGR1) and VEGF-receptor2 (VEGFR2) in the prostate of the wild ground squirrels during the breeding and the non-breeding seasons. The values of total prostate weight and volume in the breeding season were higher than those in the non-breeding season. Histological observations showed that the exocrine lumens of the prostate expanded in the breeding season and contracted in the non-breeding season. The mRNA expression levels of VEGF and VEGFR2 in the prostate were higher in the breeding season than those in the non-breeding season, but the mRNA expression level of VEGFR1 had no significant change between the breeding and non-breeding seasons. Immunohistochemical results revealed that VEGF, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 were presented in epithelial and stromal cells during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. In addition, the microvessels of the prostate were widely distributed and the number of microvessels increased obviously in the breeding season, while decreased sharply in the non-breeding season. These results suggested that expression levels of VEGF and VEGFR2 might be correlated with seasonal changes in morphology and functions of the prostate, and VEGF might serve as pivotal regulators to affect seasonal changes in the prostate functions of the wild male ground squirrels via an autocrine/paracrine pathway.

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The Reason for Testicular Recrudescence and Regression in Wild Ground Squirrels: Seasonal Changes of Immunodetection for bcl-2, bax, and PCNA.

Biology of Reproduction ◽

10.1093/biolreprod/83.s1.551 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 83 (Suppl_1) ◽

pp. 551-551

Author(s):

Hao-Lin Zhang ◽

Xiu-Wen Li ◽

Yong Shen ◽

Qiang Weng ◽

Kazuyoshi Taya

Keyword(s):

Seasonal Changes ◽

Ground Squirrels ◽

Testicular Recrudescence

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Seasonal changes in body composition of the arctic ground squirrel, Citellus undulatus

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z76-008 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 74-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

William Galster ◽

Peter Morrison

Keyword(s):

Seasonal Changes ◽

Ground Squirrel ◽

Significant Loss ◽

Ground Squirrels ◽

The Arctic ◽

Average Weight ◽

Active Season ◽

Loss Of Weight ◽

Glucose Synthesis ◽

Arctic Ground Squirrels

The depletion or accumulation of body reserves is followed in terms of the weight and proportion of lipid, protein, water, and minerals in arctic ground squirrels during the entry, deep, and emergent phases of the hibernation season and after the reproductive phase of the active season. Average weight increased slowly through the summer, from a minimum of 346 g, until mid-August when 190 g accumulated in 3 weeks to be used subsequently during the 220-day hibernation season beginning in mid-September. During hibernation, the 325-g loss in weight represents 62% lipid, 26% water, 9% protein, and 2% mineral. Fat in lipid provides most of the energy but insufficient amounts of carbon for glucose synthesis during hibernation. However, protein provides an adequate gluconeogenic reserve. Significant loss of mineral indicates that skeletal reserves of calcium are important during hibernation. After hibernation, continued loss of weight by females indicates further utilization of reserves during gestation and nursing.

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