Influence of thymectomy on growth of secondary reproductive structures in rats

1964 ◽  
Vol 206 (1) ◽  
pp. 193-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance R. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Development ◽  
Seminal Vesicles ◽  
Thymus Gland ◽  
Ventral Prostate ◽  
Sham Operation ◽  
Rapid Phase ◽  
Reproductive Structures ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
Long Evans

Ventral prostate glands and seminal vesicles of Long-Evans rats, thymectomized at 6–6 1/2 weeks of age and autopsied 3 weeks later, were significantly heavier than those of sham-operated rats. Values for thymectomized rats were as great as or greater than those for unoperated controls. The influence of thymectomy and sham operation was less pronounced when surgery was performed on rats which had not yet entered or had completed the most rapid phase of sexual development. A possible role of the thymus gland in the response to stress is discussed.

scholarly journals Hülle-cell-mediated protection of fungal reproductive and overwintering structures against fungivorous animals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Liu ◽  
Benedict Dirnberger ◽  
Oliver Valerius ◽  
Enikő Fekete-Szücs ◽  
Rebekka Harting ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Secondary Metabolism ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Fruiting Bodies ◽  
Antifeedant Activity ◽  
Multipotent Stem Cells ◽  
Reproductive Structures ◽  
Velvet Complex

AbstractFungal Hülle cells with nuclear storage and developmental backup functions are reminiscent of multipotent stem cells. In the soil, Hülle cells nurse the overwintering fruiting bodies of Aspergillus nidulans. The genome of A. nidulans harbors genes for the biosynthesis of xanthones. We show that enzymes and metabolites of this biosynthetic pathway accumulate in Hülle cells under the control of the regulatory velvet complex, which coordinates development and secondary metabolism. Deletion strains blocked in the conversion of anthraquinones to xanthones are delayed in maturation and growth of fruiting bodies. Xanthones are not required for sexual development but exert antifeedant effects on fungivorous animals such as springtails and woodlice. These findings reveal a novel role of Hülle cells in establishing secure niches for A. nidulans by accumulating metabolites with antifeedant activity that protect reproductive structures from animal predators.

scholarly journals Secondary metabolites of Hülle cells mediate protection of fungal reproductive and overwintering structures against fungivorous animals

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Liu ◽  
Christoph Sasse ◽  
Benedict Dirnberger ◽  
Oliver Valerius ◽  
Enikő Fekete-Szücs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Fruiting Bodies ◽  
Antifeedant Activity ◽  
Multipotent Stem Cells ◽  
Reproductive Structures ◽  
Velvet Complex

Fungal Hülle cells with nuclear storage and developmental backup functions are reminiscent of multipotent stem cells. In the soil, Hülle cells nurse the overwintering fruiting bodies of Aspergillus nidulans. The genome of A. nidulans harbors genes for the biosynthesis of xanthones. We show that enzymes and metabolites of this biosynthetic pathway accumulate in Hülle cells under the control of the regulatory velvet complex, which coordinates development and secondary metabolism. Deletion strains blocked in the conversion of anthraquinones to xanthones accumulate emodins and are delayed in maturation and growth of fruiting bodies. Emodin represses fruiting body and resting structure formation in other fungi. Xanthones are not required for sexual development but exert antifeedant effects on fungivorous animals such as springtails and woodlice. Our findings reveal a novel role of Hülle cells in establishing secure niches for A. nidulans by accumulating metabolites with antifeedant activity that protect reproductive structures from animal predators.

METABOLISM AND MODE OF ACTION OF ANDROGENS IN TARGET TISSUES OF MALE RATS

1972 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Schmidt ◽  
I. Noack ◽  
K. D. Voigt
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Cell Metabolism ◽  
Seminal Vesicles ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Ventral Prostate ◽  
Nucleic Acid Content ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
Sites Of Action ◽  
Peripheral Metabolism

ABSTRACT The effect of testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone on protein and nucleic acid content as well as on the activities of some enzymes has been studied in the ventral prostate and the seminal vesicles of immature castrated rats. Both androgens were given intraperitoneally in doses of 1 mg daily for one or three days the rats were sacrificed one day after the last injection. In the prostate it was found that 5α-dihydrotestosterone had a greater effect on DNA increase, i. e. cell proliferation than testosterone, whereas cell metabolism was stimulated by the two androgens to nearly the same extent. In the seminal vesicles a single dose led to the same results as had been obtained in the prostate, i. e. a greater cell proliferative action of 5α-dihydrotestosterone and an equal stimulation of cell metabolism by testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone was also observed. When three doses of the two androgens were given, cell proliferation as well as cell metabolism in the seminal vesicles were significantly more increased after 5α-dihydrotestosterone than after testosterone. The difference of action after systemic administration of the two androgens is explained by their different accumulation and by their different peripheral metabolism in the target tissues. From the partly independent effects of various androgens on cell proliferation and cell metabolism the conclusion may be drawn that there exist at least two intracellular sites of action.

scholarly journals The Nutraceutical N-Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) Reveals Widespread Molecular Effects Unmasking New Therapeutic Targets in Murine Varicocele

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 734
Author(s):  
Pietro Antonuccio ◽  
Herbert Ryan Marini ◽  
Antonio Micali ◽  
Carmelo Romeo ◽  
Roberta Granese ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Therapeutic Targets ◽  
Sham Operation ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor ◽  
Pyrin Domain ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Morphometric Assessment

Varicocele is an age-related disease with no current medical treatments positively impacting infertility. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression is present in normal testis with an involvement in the immunological reactions. The role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α), a nuclear receptor, in fertility is still unclear. N-Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), an emerging nutraceutical compound present in plants and animal foods, is an endogenous PPAR-α agonist with well-demonstrated anti-inflammatory and analgesics characteristics. In this model of mice varicocele, PPAR-α and TLR4 receptors’ roles were investigated through the administration of ultra-micronized PEA (PEA-um). Male wild-type (WT), PPAR-α knockout (KO), and TLR4 KO mice were used. A group underwent sham operation and administration of vehicle or PEA-um (10 mg/kg i.p.) for 21 days. Another group (WT, PPAR-α KO, and TLR4 KO) underwent surgical varicocele and was treated with vehicle or PEA-um (10 mg/kg i.p.) for 21 days. At the end of treatments, all animals were euthanized. Both operated and contralateral testes were processed for histological and morphometric assessment, for PPAR-α, TLR4, occludin, and claudin-11 immunohistochemistry and for PPAR-α, TLR4, transforming growth factor-beta3 (TGF-β3), phospho-extracellular signal-Regulated-Kinase (p-ERK) 1/2, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) Western blot analysis. Collectively, our data showed that administration of PEA-um revealed a key role of PPAR-α and TLR4 in varicocele pathophysiology, unmasking new nutraceutical therapeutic targets for future varicocele research and supporting surgical management of male infertility.

The zona incerta modulates spontaneous spike-wave discharges in the rat

2013 ◽  
Vol 109 (10) ◽  
pp. 2505-2516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fu-Zen Shaw ◽  
Yi-Fang Liao ◽  
Ruei-Feng Chen ◽  
Yu-Hsing Huang ◽  
Rick C. S. Lin
Keyword(s):  
Functional Role ◽  
Significant Inhibition ◽  
Zona Incerta ◽  
Obvious Effect ◽  
Spike Wave Discharges ◽  
Long Evans ◽  
Oscillation Frequencies ◽  
Spike Wave ◽  
Stimulation Of

The contribution of the zona incerta (ZI) of the thalamus on spike-wave discharges (SWDs) was investigated. Chronic recordings of bilateral cortices, bilateral vibrissa muscle, and unilateral ZI were performed in Long-Evans rats to examine the functional role of SWDs. Rhythmic ZI activity appeared at the beginning of SWD and was accompanied by higher-oscillation frequencies and larger spike magnitudes. Bilateral lidocaine injections into the mystacial pads led to a decreased oscillation frequency of SWDs, but the phenomenon of ZI-related spike magnitude enhancement was preserved. Moreover, 800-Hz ZI microstimulation terminates most of the SWDs and whisker twitching (WT; >80%). In contrast, 200-Hz ZI microstimulation selectively stops WTs but not SWDs. Stimulation of the thalamic ventroposteriomedial nucleus showed no obvious effect on terminating SWDs. A unilateral ZI lesion resulted in a significant reduction of 7- to 12-Hz power of both the ipsilateral cortical and contralateral vibrissae muscle activities during SWDs. Intraincertal microinfusion of muscimol showed a significant inhibition on SWDs. Our present data suggest that the ZI actively modulates the SWD magnitude and WT behavior.

scholarly journals Selectivity of mRNA degradation by autophagy in yeast

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiho Makino ◽  
Tomoko Kawamata ◽  
Shintaro Iwasaki ◽  
Yoshinori Ohsumi
Keyword(s):  
Ribosomal Proteins ◽  
Rna Degradation ◽  
Mrna Degradation ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Tightly Coupled ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
Transcriptional Gene Regulation ◽  
Synthesis And Degradation

AbstractSynthesis and degradation of cellular constituents must be balanced to maintain cellular homeostasis, especially during adaptation to environmental stress. The role of autophagy in the degradation of proteins and organelles is well-characterized. However, autophagy-mediated RNA degradation in response to stress and the potential preference of specific RNAs to undergo autophagy-mediated degradation have not been examined. In this study, we demonstrate selective mRNA degradation by rapamycin-induced autophagy in yeast. Profiling of mRNAs from the vacuole reveals that subsets of mRNAs, such as those encoding amino acid biosynthesis and ribosomal proteins, are preferentially delivered to the vacuole by autophagy for degradation. We also reveal that autophagy-mediated mRNA degradation is tightly coupled with translation by ribosomes. Genome-wide ribosome profiling suggested a high correspondence between ribosome association and targeting to the vacuole. We propose that autophagy-mediated mRNA degradation is a unique and previously-unappreciated function of autophagy that affords post-transcriptional gene regulation.

scholarly journals Deletion of the Schizophyllum commune Aα Locus: The Roles of Aα Y and Z Mating-Type Genes

Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 144 (4) ◽  
pp. 1437-1444
Author(s):  
C Ian Robertson ◽  
Kirk A Bartholomew ◽  
Charles P Novotny ◽  
Robert C Ullrich
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Schizophyllum Commune ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Developmental Pathway ◽  
Mating Type Gene ◽  
Mating Type Genes ◽  
Regulatory Loci ◽  
Type Gene

The Aα locus is one of four master regulatory loci that determine mating type and regulate sexual development in Schizophyllum commune. We have made a plasmid containing a URA1 gene disruption of the Aα Y1 gene. Y1 is the sole Aα gene in Aα1 strains. We used the plasmid construction to produce an Aα null (i.e., AαΔ) strain by replacing the genomic Y1 gene with URA1 in an Aα1 strain. To characterize the role of the Aα genes in the regulation of sexual development, we transformed various Aα Y and Z alleles into AαΔ strains and examined the acquired mating types and mating abilities of the transformants. These experiments demonstrate that the Aα Y gene is not essential for fungal viability and growth, that a solitary Z Aα mating-type gene does not itself activate development, that Aβ proteins are sufficient to activate the A developmental pathway in the absence of Aα proteins and confirm that Y and Z genes are the sole determinants of Aα mating type. The data from these experiments support and refine our model of the regulation of A-pathway events by Y and Z proteins.

scholarly journals Influence of sex and gonadal status of sheep on cortisol secretion in response to ACTH and on cortisol and LH secretion in response to stress: importance of different stressors

2002 ◽  
Vol 173 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
AI Turner ◽  
BJ Canny ◽  
RJ Hobbs ◽  
JD Bond ◽  
IJ Clarke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Sex Difference ◽  
Restraint Stress ◽  
Cortisol Response ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
Lh Secretion ◽  
Gonadal Status ◽  
Major Mediator

There are sex differences in the response to stress and in the influence of stress on reproduction which may be due to gonadal steroids but the nature of these differences and the role of the gonads are not understood. We tested the hypotheses that sex and the presence/absence of gonads (gonadal status) will influence the cortisol response to injection of ACTH, insulin-induced hypoglycaemia and isolation/restraint stress, and that sex and gonadal status will influence the secretion of LH in response to isolation/restraint stress. Four groups of sheep were used in each of three experiments: gonad-intact rams, gonadectomised rams, gonad-intact ewes in the mid-luteal phase of the oestrous cycle and gonadectomised ewes. In Experiment 1 (n=4/group), jugular blood samples were collected every 10 min for 6 h; after 3 h, two animals in each group were injected (i.v.) with ACTH and the remaining two animals were injected (i.v.) with saline. Treatments were reversed 5 days later so that every animal received both treatments. Experiment 2 (n=4/group) used a similar schedule except that insulin was injected (i.v.) instead of ACTH. In Experiment 3 (n=5/group), blood samples were collected every 10 min for 16 h on a control day and again 2 weeks later when, after 8 h of sampling, all sheep were isolated and restrained for 8 h. Plasma cortisol was significantly (P<0.05) elevated following injection of ACTH or insulin and during isolation/restraint stress. There were no significant differences between the sexes in the cortisol response to ACTH. Rams had a greater (P<0.05) cortisol response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia than ewes while ewes had a greater (P<0.05) cortisol response to isolation/restraint stress than rams. There was no effect of gonadal status on these parameters. Plasma LH was suppressed (P<0.05) in gonadectomised animals during isolation/restraint stress but was not affected in gonad-intact animals, and there were no differences between the sexes. Our results show that the sex that has the greater cortisol response to a stressor depends on the stressor imposed and that these sex differences are likely to be at the level of the hypothalamo-pituitary unit rather than at the adrenal gland. Since there was a sex difference in the cortisol response to isolation/restraint, the lack of a sex difference in the response of LH to this stress suggests that glucocorticoids are unlikely to be a major mediator of the stress-induced suppression of LH secretion.

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