title: The administration of retinoic acid down-regulates cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) mRNA in vitamin A-deficient testes.
abstract: Studies using genetics and vitamin A deficiency (VAD) have shown that vitamin A and retinoids play essential roles in spermatogenesis at the pre-meiotic stage. To understand the mechanisms of control in spermatogenesis by retinoic acid, we investigated whether retinoic acids regulate the expression of downstream transcription factors that are essential for spermatogenesis. In this study, we found that administration of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) or retinol to VAD rats down-regulates the testicular mRNA levels of the cAMP responsive element modulator (CREM), an essential transcription factor for spermatogenesis. Conversely, depletion of retinoids from the diet leds to an up-regulation of CREM expression in adult testes. In addition, RT-PCR analysis indicated that ATRA specifically represses the expression of the activator spliced variant of CREM (CREMtau). These results suggest that retinoids function as a negative regulator of CREM expression in testes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Tomomasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hyoudou
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadowaki
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Onuki
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masushige
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014801:Vitamin A; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator; D014212:Tretinoin