Expression of GnRH receptor in mouse and rat testicular germ cells.
The expression of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) in germinal cells of mouse testis, whole testes, pituitary glands, and mouse ovaries was determined by means of Northern hybridization using a mouse GnRH-R [(32)P]-labelled cDNA probe. Also, the expression of GnRH-R in rat germinal cells, testis and pituitary gland was determined by Northern blot analysis using the same mouse-specific probe. Three receptor transcripts were detected in all cases. In mouse pituitary, ovary and testis, we found two GnRH-R transcripts in the proximity of 4.6-4.7 and 3.4 kb, as well as a 1.6 kb transcript in the pituitary and a 2.0-2.1 kb transcript in both the ovary and testis. Mouse germ cells also exhibited three GnRH-R transcripts of 4.7, 3.5 and 2.2 kb. Two distinct GnRH-R transcripts were also detected in the rat pituitary (4.6 and 2.1 kb), testis (4. 7 and 3.5 kb) and germ cells (4.5 and 3.5 kb). In addition, a third transcript was detected in rat pituitary (1.9 kb) and in rat testis and germinal cells (2.1 kb). The present study demonstrates that GnRH-R mRNA is expressed in rat and mouse testicular germ cells. We suggest that GnRH-R present in these cells may interact with GnRH or GnRH-like peptides produced in the testis and may be part of a paracrine system. The presence of multiple GnRH-R encoding transcripts is also of interest and warrants further studies to evaluate their regulation and function.
Bull
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P
Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, P.Universidad Católica de Chile.
Morales
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P
Huyser
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C
Socías
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T
Castellón
E A
EA
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011966:Receptors, LHRH; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone