scholarly journals Seasonal expressions of androgen receptor, estrogen receptors and cytochrome P450 aromatase in the uteri of the wild Daurian ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus)

Author(s):  
Yu Wang ◽  
Ziyi Wang ◽  
Wenyang Yu ◽  
Xia Sheng ◽  
Haolin Zhang ◽  
...  

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.

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuchen Yao ◽  
Wenqian Xie ◽  
Di Chen ◽  
Yingying Han ◽  
Zhengrong Yuan ◽  
...  

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenyang Yu ◽  
Ziwen Zhang ◽  
Pei Liu ◽  
Xiaoying Yang ◽  
Haolin Zhang ◽  
...  

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-252
Author(s):  
Guler Unal ◽  
Emily Marquez ◽  
Mara H. O'brien ◽  
Pericles Stavropoulos ◽  
Ian P. Callard

In this study, we aimed to clone brain-derived Cyp19b and ovary-derived Cyp19a the P450 aromatase gene isoforms and to indicate the expression levels of these genes in the hypothalamus and ovary tissues from reproductively arrested ovarian development (RA) and non-arrested ovarian development (RN) Alburnus tarichi from Lake Van, Turkey. The expression levels of Cyp19b and Cyp19a genes were predominant in the hypothalamus and ovary, respectively. The level of Cyp19b mRNA was significantly lower in the hypothalamus and ovary from RA fish than in the hypothalamus and ovary from RN fish (P<0.05). The expression level of Cyp19a was significantly lower in the ovary of RA fish (P<0.05) than RN fish while no difference was found in the hypothalamus of both RA and RN fish (P<0.05). According to these findings, we suggest that the RA fish represent a segment of the population and these fish may be more sensitive to endocrine disruption compound/s than others.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Song ◽  
Xiaoying Yang ◽  
Xueying Zhang ◽  
Jueyu Zhu ◽  
Yixin Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to explore the localization and expression of extracellular signal regulated kinase/phospho-extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK/pERK) in the colonic tissue of wild ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus) in the breeding season and the non-breeding season. Methods and Results: Hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot were used in this study. The histological results showed that the diameter of the colon lumen in the non-breeding season was larger than that in the breeding season, and the number of glandular cells in the non-breeding season was also more than those in the breeding season. The immunochemical results showed that ERK1/2 was expressed in the cytoplasm of goblet cells and intestinal epithelial cells, while pERK1/2 was expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleus of goblet cells and intestinal epithelial cells. The immunolocalization of ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 expression were more obvious in the non-breeding season, especially in intestinal epithelial cells. The results of real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot showed that the expression of ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 in the breeding season was significantly lower than that in the non-breeding season.Conclusions: The expression of ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 in the colons of the wild ground squirrels had seasonal changes, which had significant increases in the non-breeding season comparing to those in the breeding season. This study revealed the potential role of ERK1/2 in colon to the adaptation of seasonal changes in wild ground squirrel.


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