Association of testicular p63 expression and spermatogenesis in androgen receptor knockout (ARKO) mice.
OBJECTIVE
To study changes of testicular p63 expression and its effect on spermatogenic function in seminiferous tubules in androgen receptor knockout (ARKO) mice.


METHODS
A total of 28 ARKO mice (ARKO group) screened by Cre-lox and 28 male Wistar mice without ARKO (controlled group) were enrolled in our study. Route pathology was performed and p63 examination was detected by immunohistochemistry in testes. Linear correlations were used to explore potential associations between p63 protein expression and spermatogenic function (TMS score).


RESULTS
In ARKO group, inner diameter of seminiferous tubules was decreased (62 +/- 1.3 microm vs. 91 +/- 1.2 microm), thickness of the basal membrane of the tubules (4 +/- 0.3 microm vs. 2.7 +/- 0.5 microm), cellular population within tubules was reduced (2 +/- 0.4 vs. 4 +/- 0.1 layers), degree of spermatogenesis within the tubules turned to disturbance (3 +/- 1.0 vs. 5 +/- 0.1), Testicular Makler score was lower than controlled group (7 +/- 0.2 vs.15 +/- 0.3), they had significant differences (p <0.01). P63 expressed significantly lower in ARKO group than that in Wistar group, and was limited at stages from spermatocyte to round spermatid. (Percentage of positive cells ? 68.1 +/- 3.7 vs. 81.7 +/- 5.1, p<0.001). The HSCORE yielded similar results (HSCORE 3.7 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.2, p<0.001). p63 protein expression was significantly positively correlated with spermatogenic function (r=0.87, p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
p63 developed important effect on spermatogenesis and the regulatory effect of p63 on spermatogenesis mainly occurred in the early stage of spermiogenesis in testis.
Yu
Jian Jun
JJ
Shang Hai 6th People's Hospital, Shang Hai Jiaotong University, Shang Hai 200233, China. yujj917@163.com
Jiang
Ying Chuan
YC
D000818:Animals; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000172:deficiency*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D015534:Trans-Activators; C486419:Trp63 protein, mouse; D013739:Testosterone