title: Characterization of β-defensin 42 expressed in principal cells at the initial segment of the rat epididymis.
abstract: β-defensins, preferentially expressed in male reproductive tracts, particularly in the testes and epididymis with region-specific patterns, play an important role in both innate immunity and sperm fertility. Expressed in the caput region of epididymis, β-defensins have been known to contribute to innate immunity, sperm motility initiation, and maintenance. However, β-defensins of the initial region remain to be uncharacterized. In this study, rat β-defensin 42 (Defb42) was revealed to be exclusively located in the principal cells at the initial segment of the rat epididymis and its sperm's acrosome. Furthermore, the expression of Defb42 was dependent on luminal testicular factors and developmental phases. The recombinant Defb42 was predominantly antimicrobial not against Candida albicans, but against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Based on these findings, Defb42 was suggested to play a dual role in sperm fertility and host defense in rat epididymis.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
authors.forename: Aijie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: China National Population and Family Planning Key Laboratory of Contraceptive Drugs and Devices, SIPPR, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Heguo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: China National Population and Family Planning Key Laboratory of Contraceptive Drugs and Devices, SIPPR, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China ylzhang@sibs.ac.cn diaohua77@hotmail.com shihuijuan2011@163.com.
authors.forename: Huijuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: China National Population and Family Planning Key Laboratory of Contraceptive Drugs and Devices, SIPPR, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China ylzhang@sibs.ac.cn diaohua77@hotmail.com shihuijuan2011@163.com.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Diao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China China National Population and Family Planning Key Laboratory of Contraceptive Drugs and Devices, SIPPR, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Andrology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China ylzhang@sibs.ac.cn diaohua77@hotmail.com shihuijuan2011@163.com.
authors.forename: Yonglian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000502:physiology; D004822:Epididymis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D023083:beta-Defensins; C000609986:beta-defensin 42, rat; D013739:Testosterone
keywords: antimicrobial activity; epididymis; initial segment; sperm; β-defensin 42