title: Activation of extracellular signal-related kinases 1 and 2 in Sertoli cells in experimentally cryptorchid rhesus monkeys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the spatiotemporal changes in the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) in response to heat stress in the cryptorchid testis, and to investigate a possible relation to Sertoli cell dedifferentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry and western blot were used to examine the expression and activation of ERK1/2, p38 and JNK in the cryptorchid testis at various stages after experimental cryptorchidism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The abdominal temperature did not obviously change the total ERK1/2 expression but significantly activated phospho-ERK1/2 in the Sertoli cells of the cryptorchid testis. Heat stress increased total JNK expression in the Sertoli cells of the cryptorchid testis but did not activate phospho-JNK. Neither total p38 nor phospho-p38 was induced by heat stress in the Sertoli cells of the cryptorchid testis. Changes in the spatiotemporal expression of cytokeratin 18 (CK18), a marker of immature or undifferentiated Sertoli cells, were induced in the cryptorchid testis in a pattern similar to the activation of ERK1/2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The activation of ERK1/2 in the testis may be related to dedifferentiation of Sertoli cells under heat stress induced by experimental cryptorchidism.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 25 Bei Si Huan Road West, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Sen
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhi-Hong
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shu-Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhu-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin-Xiang
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Zhao-Yuan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yi-Xun
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012611:Scrotum / Q000201:enzymology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4