Expression of testicular fatty acid-binding protein PERF 15 during germ cell apoptosis.
PERF 15 is a testicular germ cell specific fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) isolated from rat. Indirect immunofluorescent analysis of juvenile rat testis showed that there were some strongly PERF 15-positive spermatocytes. These cells showed unclear nuclear structure and were predicted to undergo apoptosis. Apoptosis in germ cells is an important regulatory event to limit the number of germ cells in the seminiferous epithelium, but the physiological significance and molecular mechanisms of this testicular germ cell apoptosis are poorly understood. To determine whether PERF 15 participates in germ cell apoptosis, juvenile rat testis was examined by immunohistochemical and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) methods. Strongly PERF 15-positive cells and TUNEL-positive cells were co-localized in adjacent sections. Exposure to methoxyacetic acid (MAA), known to induce apoptosis in spermatocytes, increased the number of strongly PERF 15-positive cells in 25-day-old rats' testes. Therefore, it seems that PERF 15 is involved in both spermatogenesis and testicular germ cell apoptosis.
Kido
T
T
Department of Biology, School of Education, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
Namiki
H
H
D000085:Acetates / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D000085:Acetates; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C090549:Fabp9 protein, rat; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C013598:methoxyacetic acid