title: Expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and macrophage colony-stimulating factor in normal and inflamed rat testis.
abstract: Macrophages are numerous in the testicular interstitial tissue under normal conditions and increase during inflammation. The mechanisms involved are poorly characterized. Expression of the macrophage-regulating cytokines monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) was examined in the adult rat testis before and after an i.p. injection of an inflammatory stimulus, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In the normal testis, M-CSF was readily observed using Northern blot and Western blot analysis. In contrast, MCP-1 was not detectable by Northern blot in the normal testis, but was detected using RT-PCR amplification and a sensitive ELISA. After LPS treatment, testicular MCP-1 mRNA and protein expression increased dramatically (up to 400-fold). In-situ hybridization for MCP-1 revealed that production was confined to the interstitium of the inflamed testis, in Leydig cells, peritubular cells, perivascular cells and monocyte-like macrophages, but not in tissue-resident macrophages. Unlike MCP-1, M-CSF mRNA and protein expression in the testis increased only marginally, if at all, after LPS treatment. These results suggest that MCP-1 stimulates the increase in intratesticular macrophages that accompanies LPS-induced inflammation in vivo. Together with M-CSF, MCP-1 may also play a role in maintaining the resident macrophage population of the normal testis.
authors.affiliation: Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development, Monash University, 27-31 Wright Street, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gerdprasert
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: O'Bryan
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Nikolic-Paterson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sebire
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: de Kretser
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hedger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor