title: Involvement of c-Src/STAT3 signal in EGF-induced proliferation of rat spermatogonial stem cells.
abstract: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a role in male germ cell development, but the precise function is yet to be defined. This study shows that EGF stimulates rat spermatogonial proliferation in a dose-dependent manner and significantly increased the protein levels of phosphated c-Src (p-c-Src) and phosphated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3). Moreover, overexpression of c-Src tagged with enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) in rat spermatogonial stem cells enhances the cell viability. In contrast, knockdown or inhibition of c-Src inhibits rat spermatogonial stem cell proliferation; EGF could not abrogate the inhibitory effect. Evidently, the content of p-STAT3 protein was increased in c-Src-expressing cells and decreased in c-Src-suppressing cells. Furthermore, knockdown or inhibition of STAT3 also suppressed cell viability; neither EGF nor increased c-Src could reverse the inhibitory effect. These results are the first evidence that EGF induces proliferation of rat spermatogonial stem cells through c-Src/STAT3 signal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical College of Nanchang University, Donghu District, Nanchang 330006, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jia-Xiang
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lin-Lin
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xin-Chang
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hai-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Jing-Lei
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000081247:CSK Tyrosine-Protein Kinase; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D019061:src-Family Kinases
chemical_list: D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494088:Stat3 protein, rat; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D000081247:CSK Tyrosine-Protein Kinase; D019061:src-Family Kinases; C000631346:CSK protein, human