Beta-nerve growth factor influences the expression of androgen-binding protein messenger ribonucleic acid in the rat testis.
The effect of infusion of nerve growth factor (NGF) into the rat testis on the expression of androgen-binding protein (ABP) mRNA was studied. A major 1.7-kb and a minor 3.7-kb ABP mRNA were present at all stages of the seminiferous epithelium with maximal levels at stages VIII-XI and the lowest levels at stages IV-VI. Infusion of 15 ng/h of NGF with a mini-osmotic pump for 14 days resulted in a 2-fold increase of ABP mRNA as revealed by Northern blots, whereas the mRNA level of another Sertoli cell protein, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, remained unchanged. Image analysis of autoradiograms obtained by in situ hybridization of sections from treated testes showed a similar increase in APB mRNA compared to noninfused or PBS-infused testes. However, at the cellular level the labeling intensity for ABP mRNA over Sertoli cells of different stages of the seminiferous epithelium was the same in NGF-infused and control testes. This suggests that the increase of ABP mRNA in NGF-infused testes was caused by prolongation of stages VII-VIII with maximal ABP mRNA expression; the suggestion is supported by an increase of 30 percent in frequency of these stages in histological sections from NGF-infused testes.
Lönnerberg
P
P
Department of Medical Chemistry, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Söder
O
O
Parvinen
M
M
Ritzén
E M
EM
Persson
H
H
D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012670:Seminiferous Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger