title: Detection of growth factors in the testis of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).
abstract: Roe deer is a seasonal breeder characterised by a short rutting season in summer. Mature males show synchronised cycles of testicular involution and recrudescence. Therefore, this species is a valuable model to study seasonal regulation of spermatogenesis in ruminants. It is hypothesised that a time-dependent production of testicular growth factors is required to regulate seasonal changes in testis growth and spermatogenesis. To identify potential candidates, total RNA from roe deer testis tissue was extracted at three different seasonal periods (April, August, December), and using RT-PCR the presence of several growth factors (aFGF, bFGF, IGF-I, IGF-II, TGF-alpha, TGF-beta1, TGF-beta3 and two isoforms of VEGF) was detected. Sequencing of the growth factor PCR fragments revealed a high sequence homology between cattle and roe deer. To further explore the expression patterns of the identified growth factors in roe deer their expression levels were standardised using glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene expression. The study demonstrates the expression of several growth factors in roe deer testis and supports the assumption of their seasonally diverse regulation. These results provide the basis to investigate the role of growth factors in the regulation of circannual changes of testicular activity.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, D-10315, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wagener
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blottner
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Göritz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fickel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D003670:Deer / Q000502:physiology*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel / Q000662:veterinary; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / Q000032:analysis; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000032:analysis; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000032:analysis; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012621:Seasons; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000032:analysis; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D006133:Growth Substances; D008222:Lymphokines; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1; D012313:RNA; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D004247:DNA