Induction of immediate early gene mRNAs and proteins by hCG in interstitial cells of rat testis.
In the present study we have investigated the induction of immediate early gene (IEG) c-fos, c-jun, junB and junD mRNAs and proteins in interstitial cells of rat testis after hCG treatment in vivo using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. The basal levels of all IEGs were barely detectable with our methods. A prominent induction of c-fos, c-jun and junB mRNAs and proteins in Leydig cells was seen after hCG treatment. The induction of these IEG mRNAs and proteins demonstrates that their expression is an early transcriptional response to the extracellular stimulus of hCG and that they are involved in transcriptional processes which may mediate the effects of LH on cellular adaptive responses or steroid biosynthesis.
Schultz
R
R
Department of Biomedical Science, University of Tampere, Finland.
Kononen
J
J
Pelto-Huikko
M
M
D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early; D016762:Genes, fos; D016758:Genes, jun; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins