title: Musashi-1 maintains blood-testis barrier structure during spermatogenesis and regulates stress granule formation upon heat stress.
abstract: In mouse testes, Musashi-1 (Msi-1) was predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm and nuclei of Sertoli cells. Here we demonstrate that knockdown of Msi-1 in Sertoli cells altered the levels and distribution of blood-testis barrier (BTB)-associated proteins. Moreover, Msi-1 knockdown in vivo disrupted BTB functional structure and spermatogenesis. In addition, we report a novel role of Msi-1 in regulating Sertoli cells survival following heat-induced injury. Endogenous Msi-1 protein in heat-treated Sertoli cells was recruited to stress granules. The formation of stress granules was considerably disrupted, and apoptosis was significantly up-regulated in Msi-1-knockdown Sertoli cells after heat treatment. p-ERK1/2 acted downstream of stress granule formation, and inhibition of p-ERK1/2 signaling triggered Sertoli cell apoptosis upon heat stress. In conclusion, we demonstrate that Msi-1 is critical for constructing a functional BTB structure and maintaining spermatogenesis. We also note a role for Msi-1 in regulating Sertoli cell fate following heat-induced injury, likely through the induction of stress granule formation and subsequent activation of p-ERK1/2 signaling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300211, People's Republic of China sunerlintj@163.com hanruifatj@163.com.
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: ErLin
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: WenJie
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300211, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: LiNing
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300211, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: BingXin
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300211, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: MingDe
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300211, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300211, People's Republic of China sunerlintj@163.com hanruifatj@163.com.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: RuiFa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001814:Blood-Testis Barrier / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000378:metabolism*; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D018869:Heat-Shock Response; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C104786:Msi1h protein, mouse; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins