title: Localization of the lectin reactive sites in adult and prepubertal horse testes.
abstract: The testes of prepubertal and adult horses were investigated using 10 horseradish peroxidase conjugated lectins combined with sialidase digestion and potassium hydroxide treatment, to localise the oligosaccharide sequences of glycoconjugates during spermatid maturation. In adult animals, the lectins showed a variable affinity for spermatids and Sertoli cell apical extensions. Soybean agglutinin (SBA), peanut agglutinin (PNA), Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA-I) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) bound to the acrosomal structures of spermatids, whereas Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin (GSA-II) labelled these structures only during Golgi and cap phases. These results suggested that glycoproteins of mature acrosomes contain both N- and O-linked oligosaccharides and that these carbohydrate chains undergo modifications during spermiogenesis. Sialic acid residues were not detected throughout the acrosomal development. The lectin binding pattern of Sertoli cells was very similar to that of acrosome of spermatids during the maturation phase. In sexually immature horses, only the degenerated germinal cells and the Leydig cells showed reactivity towards lectins. The first cells reacted with SBA and Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), the latter with SBA, PNA, WGA, GSA-II, Canavalia ensiformis agglutinin (ConA), Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) and also with DBA after sialidase digestion.
authors.affiliation: Centro di Studio del Cavallo Sportivo, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy. vete2@unipg.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verini-Supplizi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stradaioli
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fagioli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Parillo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002367:Ricinus communis / Q000737:chemistry; D006736:Horses; D006878:Hydroxides; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000378:metabolism; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin / Q000737:chemistry; D037121:Plant Lectins; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D030262:Soybean Proteins; D013087:Spermatids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006878:Hydroxides; D037102:Lectins; D009439:Neuraminidase; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D037121:Plant Lectins; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D030262:Soybean Proteins; C017707:Ricinus communis agglutinin-1; C028824:soybean lectin; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; C029943:potassium hydroxide