title: Promotion of cathepsin L activity in newt spermatogonial apoptosis induced by prolactin.
abstract: We previously showed that prolactin (PRL) induces apoptosis in newt secondary spermatogonia and indicated that caspase activity is involved in the apoptosis. Since it was recently reported that Z-VAD-fmk, a pan-caspase inhibitor, blocks activity of cysteine cathepsins as well, we examined whether cathepsin is involved in the newt spermatogonial apoptosis. We found cathepsin L activity in the testis that was elevated by PRL in organ culture of testis, while E-64d, a lysosomal cysteine protease inhibitor, and Z-VAD-fmk suppressed it and chromosomal condensation. These results suggest that cathepsin L activity play a pivotal role in PRL-induced spermatogonial apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitano
authors.forename: Shin-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D056668:Cathepsin L; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011388:Prolactin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012455:Salamandridae; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014020:Tissue Extracts
chemical_list: D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D011388:Prolactin; D002403:Cathepsins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D056668:Cathepsin L; D007930:Leucine; C108192:aloxistatin