title: Expression of Sox9 in granulosa cells lacking the estrogen receptors, ERalpha and ERbeta.
abstract: Ovaries from adult mice lacking both estrogen receptors ERalpha and ERbeta (ERalphabetaKO mice) contain abnormal cells sharing morphologic features with Sertoli cells, which are located mainly in the interstitial compartment. We show here that these cells express the Sertoli cell markers TIF1beta, TIF2, and Sox9. In ERalphabetaKO ovaries, Sox9 is expressed by granulosa cells before the morphologic appearance of Sertoli cells, but neither by granulosa cell precursors nor by non-Sertolian interstitial cells. These findings suggest that functional Sertoli cells can transdifferentiate from mature granulosa cells devoid of estrogen receptors as a result of Sox9 expression.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS/INSERM/ULP, Collège de France, Illkirch Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dupont
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dennefeld
authors.forename: Andrée
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krust
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chambon
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D005260:Female; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009154:Mutation; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics*; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor; C527933:Sox9 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors