Disruption of the murine PIASx gene results in reduced testis weight.
PIASx belongs to the PIAS protein family, the members of which modulate activities of several transcription factors and act as E3 ligases in the sumoylation pathway. The PIASx gene is highly expressed in testis, suggesting a role in spermatogenesis. To investigate the function of PIASx in vivo, we have disrupted the PIASx gene in mice. Interestingly, the knockout mice were viable and fertile. Despite the normal fertility, the testis weight of the mutant animals was reduced and their number of apoptotic testicular cells was increased. Also, the sperm count of mutant mice tended to be reduced, but the quality of their sperm cells was normal. No significant changes were observed in the serum levels of LH and FSH or in the intratesticular testosterone concentration between the knockout animals and their wild-type littermates. Compensatory increases in other PIAS protein mRNAs were not observed in the knockout mice. These results imply that PIASx is required quantitatively rather than qualitatively for normal spermatogenesis.
Santti
H
H
Biomedicum Helsinki, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
Mikkonen
L
L
Anand
A
A
Hirvonen-Santti
S
S
Toppari
J
J
Panhuysen
M
M
Vauti
F
F
Perera
M
M
Corte
G
G
Wurst
W
W
Jänne
O A
OA
Palvimo
J J
JJ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D015151:Immunoblotting; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008025:Ligases / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009929:Organ Size; D050828:Protein Inhibitors of Activated STAT; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D025841:Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
D017931:DNA Primers; D050828:Protein Inhibitors of Activated STAT; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D025841:Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D008025:Ligases; C476735:Pias2 protein, mouse