Expression of pro-opiomelanocortin-like gene in the testis and epididymis.
Expression of pro-opiomelanocortin-like gene in the testis and epididymis.
复制标题
阿片黑皮质素原样基因在睾丸和附睾中的表达。
DOI：
10.1073/pnas.81.18.5672
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发表时间：
1984
影响因子：
11.1
通讯作者：
Bardin,CW
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Chen,CL;Mather,JP;Morris,PL;Bardin,CW
促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）、β-内啡肽和黑素细胞刺激激素（MSH）是一种共同的前体阿黑皮素原（POMC）的产物，存在于垂体以外的多种组织中。最近在雄性生殖道中检测到免疫反应性POMC衍生肽，提出了这些激素可能调节生殖功能的可能性。为了确定在男性生殖道中低浓度的POMC衍生肽是否是局部合成的，而不是来自血液的污染物，我们已经证明了POMC样基因在睾丸和附睾中的表达。通过在小鼠Leydig细胞系（TM 3和I10 A）中显示该mRNA的存在，确定了睾丸中能够合成POMC mRNA的细胞的鉴定。POMC样mRNA在睾丸，附睾，和Leydig细胞系（TM 3和I10 A）的杂交种约150个碱基短于垂体或下丘脑，但在大小上类似的大鼠大脑杏仁核。睾丸中POMC样mRNA的浓度几乎与下丘脑中的一样高。这一发现是非常出乎意料的，因为睾丸中POMC衍生肽的浓度比下丘脑中的浓度低2-3个数量级。POMC样基因在雄性生殖组织中的表达表明，POMC衍生肽在Leydig细胞和附睾中合成。这些观察结果与POMC衍生肽可能在这些器官中发挥旁分泌和/或自分泌作用的假设一致。
Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), beta-endorphin, and the melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSHs), which are products of a common precursor, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), are present in a variety of tissues other than pituitary. The recent detection of immunoreactive POMC-derived peptides in the male reproductive tract raised the possibility that these hormones might regulate reproductive function. To determine whether the low concentrations of POMC-derived peptides in the male reproductive tract are synthesized locally and are not contaminants from blood, we have demonstrated POMC-like gene expression in both testis and epididymis. The identification of cells in testis capable of synthesizing POMC mRNA was established by showing the presence of this mRNA in mouse Leydig cell lines (TM3 and I10A). The hybridizing species of POMC-like mRNA in the testis, epididymis, and Leydig cell lines (TM3 and I10A) were approximately 150 bases shorter than those in the pituitary or hypothalamus but were similar in size to that in the amygdaloid nucleus of rat brain. The concentration of POMC-like mRNA in the testis is almost as high as that in the hypothalamus. This finding is quite unexpected because the concentrations of POMC-derived peptides in the testis were 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than those in the hypothalamus. The demonstration of a POMC-like gene expression in male reproductive tissues suggests that POMC-derived peptides are synthesized in Leydig cells and epididymis. These observations are consistent with the postulate that POMC-derived peptides may exert paracrine and/or autocrine effects in these organs.