Age-dependent expression of immune-privilege and proliferation-related molecules on porcine Sertoli cells.
BACKGROUND
The immunoprotective nature of the testes has prompted numerous investigations into their supportive roles during allogeneic or xenogeneic cellular grafts. However, the optimal developmental stage of these cells in terms of maximum efficacy for cellular grafts has not been elucidated. In this study, the time-dependent expressions of immune-privilege- and proliferation-related molecules in Sertoli cells were determined.


METHODS
To investigate the time course of the expression of proteins related to immune privilege and proliferation, immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed using testes of 18 Yorkshire pigs from birth to 20 weeks of age. We included fas ligand (FasL), transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) and clusterin as the immune-protective molecules, and follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), p27Kip1, GATA-4 and Wilm's tumor antigen (WT1) as Sertoli cell proliferation markers. RT-PCR was used to complement histological assessment.


RESULTS
The expression of FasL in Sertoli cells gradually increased with age, whereas TGF-beta1 showed the reverse pattern, and clusterin expression showed no age-related difference. p27Kip1 showed a gradual increase in its expression from week 12, but GATA-4 showed earlier postnatal expression from birth to week 12. WT1 expression gradually increased from week 16.


CONCLUSIONS
We confirmed the age-dependent expression of immune-privilege- and proliferation-related molecules in porcine Sertoli cells. These data may be useful for determining the optimal time for harvesting Sertoli cells with respect to maximal immunoprotection and proliferative activity.
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Hak-Mo
HM
Lee
Byoung Chol
BC
Oh
Ji-Hye
JH
Yang
Jaejin
J
Cho
Gene
G
Lee
Dong-Sup
DS
Lee
Woo Suk
WS
Hwang
Jeong Ryul
JR
Lee
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger