Analysis of androgenic effects in Sertoli cells during spermatogenesis

雄激素是精子发生的重要因素。然而，雄激素在支持细胞中的生物学作用尚不清楚。在这项研究中，我们分析了19名无精子和117名少精子男性雄激素受体基因的突变和CAG重复序列。没有发现突变，但117名少精子男性中有9名携带14或15个CAG重复序列，而136名正常生育男性的CAG重复序列超过16个。通过共转染实验分析雄激素对过渡蛋白1和2 （TP1, 2）表达的影响，发现雄激素分别通过dfd样分子调控TP1的转录，通过雄激素-雄激素受体复合物调控TP2的转录。采用SELDI-TOF质谱法分析了双氢睾酮（DHT）对TM4小鼠Sertoli细胞系蛋白谱的影响。DHT增加了4.3、5.0、5.7、5.8、10.0、10.0和11.3kDa 7种蛋白的表达，降低了4.9、5.0、6.3、8.6、12.4和19.8 kDa 6种蛋白的表达。其中一个减少的分子（19.8 kDa）被鉴定为翻译控制的肿瘤蛋白。结果表明，雄激素对生殖细胞和支持细胞的精子发生均有影响。

Androgens are important factors in spermatogenesis. However, the biological role of androgen in Sertoli cells is still unclear. In this study, we analyzed mutations and CAG repeats of the androgen receptor gene in 19 azoospermic and 117 oligozoospermic men. No mutations were identified, but 9 of 117 oligozoospermic men were found to carry 14 or 15 CAG repeats, as compared to more than 16 CAG repeats in 136 normal fertile men analyzed. Analysis of the androgenic effect on the expression of transition protein 1 and 2 (TP1, 2) by co-transfection experiments showed that androgens regulate the transcription of TP1 via a Dfd-like molecules and the transcription of TP2 via androgen -androgen receptor complex, respectively. We analyzed the effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on protein profiles in the TM4 mouse Sertoli cell line using SELDI-TOF mass spectrometry. DHT increased the expression of seven proteins of 4.3, 5.0, 5.7, 5.8, 10.0, 10.0 and 11.3kDa and decreased six proteins of 4.9, 5.0, 6.3, 8.6, 12.4 and 19.8 kDa. One of decreased molecule (19.8 kDa) is identified to be a translationally controlled tumor protein. These results show that androgen affects the spermatogenesis in both germ cells and Sertoli cells.