title: Expression patterns of taste receptor type 1 subunit 3 and α-gustducin in the mouse testis during development.
abstract: Taste receptor type 1 subunit 3 (T1R3) and its associated heterotrimeric G protein α-gustducin (Gα) are involved in sweet and umami sensing in taste cells. They are also strongly expressed in the testis and sperm, but their expression patterns and potential roles involved were previously unknown. In present study, we investigated the expression patterns of T1R3 and Gα in the mouse testis at critical stages of postnatal life, and throughout the spermatogenic cycle. Our results indicated that T1R3 and Gα exhibited a stage-dependent expression pattern during mouse development, and a cell-specific pattern during the spermatogenic cycle. Their expressions have been increased significantly from prepubertal to pubertal periods (P<005), and decreased significantly in aged mice (P<005). The changes were mainly attributed to the differential expression of T1R3 or Gα in elongated spermatids and Leydig cells at different stages of the spermatogenic cycle. In addition, the expression of T1R3 and Gα were first observed in residual bodies of spermatozoa and endothelial cells of blood vessels at post-pubertal mice, while Gα was located in apoptotic spermatogonia of postnatal mice. These novel expression patterns suggest a role of T1R3 and Gα in the onset of spermatogenesis, pace of spermatogenic cycle, and aging of the testis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Quanwei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Dagan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: fxshi@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Fangxiong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009928:Organ Specificity; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C431926:taste receptors, type 1; C524407:GNAT3 protein, mouse; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins
keywords: Developmental biology; Gα; Mouse testis; T1R3