title: Expression of proliferin-related protein in testis and the biological significance in testosterone production.
abstract: Proliferin-related protein (PRP) was originally identified as an angiogenesis inhibitor in mouse placentas. Indeed, the tissue expression of PRP has mainly been documented in placentas. We report herein for the first time that PRP is expressed in male rat testes. Immunocytochemical and in situ hybridization results showed positive PRP immunostaining in Leydig cells. Immunofluorescent staining of PRP in the TM3 Leydig cell line indicates that PRP is located within the cytoplasm. The expression pattern of PRP in rat testis exhibited an age-related increase. HCG significantly up-regulated the level of expression of PRP in TM3 cells via the PKA pathway. To elucidate the function of PRP, experiments were conducted to examine the consequences of lentiviral-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) of PRP on testosterone production and expression of several genes involved in steroidogenesis. PRP silencing caused a decrease in HCG-stimulated testosterone production. In addition, PRP silencing attenuated the increase in PRLR mRNA following HCG stimulation. Moreover, the enhanced effect of PRL on HCG-induced testosterone production was also weakened following PRP silencing, indicating that PRP may be involved in PRL function through an effect on PRL receptor expression in response to stimuli. Taken together, these data suggest that PRP is regulated by HCG and plays roles in male reproduction, such as testosterone production.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. lg168sn@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Jiangang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhilan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qiubo
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yingxiong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; C489178:Prl7d1 protein, rat; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin; D013739:Testosterone; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases