title: Alteration in expression of estrogen receptor isoforms alpha and beta, and aromatase in the testis and its relation with changes in nitric oxide during aging in mice.
abstract: The aim of present study was to investigate the changes in the testicular expression of aromatase, ER alpha, ER beta and iNOS protein and correlate these with serum testosterone and nitric oxide levels, to elucidate the role of estrogen and nitric oxide in the testis during aging. This study showed localization of aromatase and ER alpha mainly in the Leydig cell and showed close correlation of testicular aromatase level with circulating testosterone level suggesting that estrogen may be modulating testicular steroidogenesis. Localization ER alpha mainly in the mitotically active germ cell suggest possible role of estrogen in germ cell proliferation. This study showed basal level of nitric oxide during reproductively active period, whereas increased serum nitric oxide coincides with decreased testicular activity in old age. This study showed inverse correlation between aromatase and NO level. Treatment with either SNP or L-NAME on testicular steroidogenic factor (3-beta HSD/ StAR) or germ cell survival factor (Bcl2) showed that increased NO causes decreased steroidogenesis and increased germ cell apoptosis. In conclusion this study suggest that estrogen modulate steroidogenesis and germ cell survival in reproductively active period whereas in old age decreased estrogen concentration causes increased nitric oxide which in turn decreases testicular steroidogenesis and germ cell apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, UP, India.
authors.forename: Arnab
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Shabana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anjum
authors.forename: Rachna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Amitabh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krishna
mesh_terms: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; C052617:Bcl2 protein, mouse; D009599:Nitroprusside; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013739:Testosterone; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D001141:Aromatase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester