Body temperature (37 C) specifically down-regulates the messenger ribonucleic acid for the major sperm surface antigen CD52 in epididymal cell culture.
To study the role of scrotal vs. body temperature in epididymal function we established a simplified cell culture system from the dog epididymis in which the cells showed a pattern of gene expression similar to that in the human epididymis and retained many characteristics of epididymal epithelial cells. The cultured cells had an epithelial-type cytoskeleton, nuclear androgen receptor protein, and a striking temperature responsiveness. Exposure of the cells to a culture temperature of 37 C, compared to 33 C, had a fast and irreversibly suppressive effect on the levels of an abundant epididymal messenger RNA (mRNA), CE5, which represents the canine counterpart of the human CD52/HE5 mRNA, encoding a major glycosylphoshatidylinnositol (GPI)-anchored sperm membrane glycopeptide. The temperature effect on the mRNA was a direct and specific one, not mediated by temperature influences on the testis and not affecting other epididymal mRNAs. Exposure of the cells to 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (25 micrograms/ml culture medium) and cycloheximide (2 micrograms/ml) suggested that the steady state levels of CD52/CE5 mRNA may be controlled posttranscriptionally by changing the half-life of this specific mRNA in response to an extracellular temperature stimulus.
Pera
I
I
IHF Institute for Hormone and Fertility Research, at the University of Hamburg, Germany.
Ivell
R
R
Kirchhoff
C
C
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics*; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D000074301:CD52 Antigen; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004004:Dichlororibofuranosylbenzimidazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D004285:Dogs; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000074301:CD52 Antigen; C000613862:CD52 protein, human; D003470:Culture Media; D006023:Glycoproteins; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004004:Dichlororibofuranosylbenzimidazole; D003513:Cycloheximide