title: Caspase activity in newt spermatogonial apoptosis induced by prolactin and cycloheximide.
abstract: We previously showed in vivo and in vitro, that among the spermatogenic stages of the newt, prolactin (PRL) induces apoptosis specifically in the penultimate stage of secondary spermatogonia. In the current report, we demonstrate in vitro that cycloheximide (CHX), an inhibitor of protein synthesis, induces morphological apoptotic changes similar to those caused by PRL, such as chromatin condensation and apoptotic body formation. Next, we found that Z-VAD-fmk, an inhibitor of various caspases, suppressed the apoptosis induced by PRL and CHX, but ICE inhibitor Ac-YVAD-CHO or caspase-3 inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO did not. As high caspase activity was present in extracts of testes treated with CHX, we suggest that an unidentified caspase induces the morphological changes of apoptosis in newt spermatogonia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yazawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Abé
mesh_terms: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012455:Salamandridae; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; D011388:Prolactin; D003513:Cycloheximide; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D020169:Caspases; C108711:DEVDase