title: Protocadherin alpha3 acts at sites distinct from classic cadherins in rat testis and sperm.
abstract: The testis expresses a variety of cadherin superfamily members including classic cadherins and protocadherins. This report describes the first localization of a protocadherin protein in testis and sperm. After cloning rat cDNAs for protocadherin alpha3 and alpha4, isoform-specific polyclonal antibodies were generated against protocadherin alpha3. Western blotting of rat testis showed that protocadherin alpha3 was solubilized completely by Triton X-100, in contrast to the adhesion junction components N-cadherin, beta-catenin, and p120 catenin. Corroborating this data, protocadherin alpha3 was immunolocalized to the spermatid acrosomal area, intercellular bridge, and flagellum, but not classic cadherin-based adhesion junctions. Acrosome-associated protocadherin alpha3 was first detected at step 8 of spermiogenesis, and this association remained on cauda epididymal sperm. Acrosome immunostaining was reduced, but present, in acrosome-reacted sperm. Spermatid intercellular bridges became positive for protocadherin alpha3 coincident with the appearance of plectin, occurring at spermiogenic steps 8 to 9, and elongate spermatid bridges remained positive throughout spermatogenesis. The developing flagellum was uniformly immunostained for protocadherin alpha3 up to approximately spermiogenic step 17. Subsequently, flagellar immunostaining was confined to the principal piece, and this pattern continued in cauda epididymal sperm. These data show that protocadherin alpha3 performs functions unique from classic cadherins in spermatogenesis and suggest a role for protocadherin alpha3 in organizing germ cell-specific structures including the intercellular bridge, flagellum, and acrosome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA. kjohnson@ciit.org
authors.forename: Kamin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zecevic
authors.forename: Eun J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000502:physiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018385:Centrosome / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000502:physiology; D005407:Flagella / Q000502:physiology; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000091363:Protocadherins; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013087:Spermatids / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D009479:Neuropeptides; C489745:Pcdha3 protein, rat; C484821:Pcdha4 protein, rat; D000091363:Protocadherins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface