1. Expression of dysadherin in the human male reproductive tract and in spermatozoa
- Author
-
Gabrielli, Nieves María, Veiga, María Florencia, Matos, María Laura, Quintana, Silvina, Chemes, Héctor, Blanco, Gustavo, and Vazquez-Levin, Mónica Hebe
- Subjects
- *
GENE expression , *MALE reproductive organs , *SPERMATOZOA , *EPIDIDYMIS , *LONGITUDINAL method , *CADHERINS , *MESSENGER RNA , *GLYCOSYLATION , *IMMUNOBLOTTING - Abstract
Objective: To study expression of dysadherin in human testis, epididymis, and spermatozoa. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Basic research laboratory. Patient(s): Testis, epididymis, and testicular spermatozoa from patients under treatment and semen from volunteer donors. Intervention(s): Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and Western immunoblotting. Main Outcome Measure(s): Dysadherin messenger RNA (mRNA) analysis in testis, epididymis, and ejaculated spermatozoa, immunohistochemistry of both tissues, Western immunoblotting of tissue/cell extracts, and immunocytochemistry of spermatozoa. Result(s): Dysadherin mRNA was found in testis, epididymis, and ejaculated spermatozoa. Whereas testis and spermatozoa exhibited a distinctive 91-kDa protein form, the epididymis showed a 50-kDa moiety, also found in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed >99% homology between testicular and somatic cell mRNA, suggesting differential protein glycosylation. Dysadherin was immunodetected in round spermatids and testicular/ejaculated spermatozoa. It localizes to the acrosomal region and flagellum and colocalized with E-cadherin in the head and with the Na+,K+-ATPase α4 subunit in the flagellum. Conclusion(s): This is the first report on expression of dysadherin in the male gonad and in spermatozoa. Its colocalization with E-cadherin and Na+,K+-ATPase leads us to postulate a role for dysadherin as a modulator of sperm function. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF