Testicular lumicrine factors regulate ERK, STAT and NFKB pathways in the initial segment of the rat epididymis to prevent apoptosis
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ABSTRACT: The initial segment of the epididymis is vital for male fertility, therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms that regulate this important region. Deprival of testicular luminal fluid factors/lumicrine factors from epididymis, a subset of cells within the initial segment undergo apoptosis. In this study, microarray analyses was used to examine early changes in the downstream signal transduction pathways following the loss of lumicrine factors, and we discovered the following cascade of events leading to loss of protection and eventual apoptosis. First, mRNA expression of several key components of ERK pathway decreased sharply after 6 hours of loss protection from testicular lumicrine factors. After 12 hours, the levels of mRNA expression of STAT and NF-кB pathways components increased, mRNA expression of genes encoding cell cycle inhibitors increased. After 18 hours of loss protection from testicular lumicrine factors, apoptosis was observed in the initial segment. In conclusion, testicular lumicrine factors protect the cells of the initial segment by activating ERK pathway, repressing STAT and NF-кB pathways, and preventing a cascade of reactions leading to apoptosis. Unilateral efferent duct ligation (EDL) surgeries were performed to block lumicrine testicular fluid factors from reaching one side of epididymis. For the control, a sham operation was performed on the contra-lateral side within the same animal. After 6, 12 and 18 hours of EDL, the most proximal region of the initial segment containing zone 1a and 1b of initial segment was dissected out. In this microarray study, sham control and each time point of EDL (sham, 6h EDL, 12h EDL, 18h EDL) all have 4 replicates, a total of 16 arrays were hybridized.
ORGANISM(S): Rattus norvegicus
SUBMITTER: Michael Black
PROVIDER: E-GEOD-21806 | biostudies-arrayexpress |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress
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