Novel androgen-induced activity of an antimicrobial beta-defensin: Regulation of Wolffian duct morphogenesis

Autor(es)

Ribeiro, Camilla M. ; Ferreira, Lucas G. A. ; Thimoteo, Daniel S. ; Smith, Lee B. ; Hinton, Barry T. ; Avellar, Maria Christina W.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology; v. 442, n. C, p. 142-152, FEB 15 2017.
• Citações Web of Science: 2

Resumo

The Wolffian duct (WD) undergoes morphological changes induced by androgens to form the epididymis, which is an organ essential for sperm maturation. Androgen action in WD epithelium involves paracrine factors of mesenchymal origin that function by still poorly understood mechanisms. Here we studied the antimicrobial beta-defensin SPAGIIC as a new player in duct morphogenesis, localized prenatally in the WD mesenchyme. Organotypic culture of rat WDs and tissues from Androgen Receptor (AR) knockout mice (ARKO) were used. Our results show that androgen/AR signaling differentially regulated SPAGIIC expression at mRNA and protein levels in the developing WD. WDs incubated with recombinant human SPAGI1C were shorter and less coiled as a result of reduced epithelial cell proliferation, but not increased apoptosis. Our results suggested beta-defensin SPAGIIC as an androgen-target required for WD morphogenesis. This highlights the multifunctional repertoire of the beta-defensin protein family and their potential contribution to the in utero environment that determines male reproductive success. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 10/52711-0 - Aspectos funcionais da proteina spag11, papel fisiologico e mecanismo de acao.
• Beneficiário: Maria Christina Werneck de Avellar
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 09/14649-3 - Caracterização de isoformas do gene antimicrobiano Spag11 e suas proteínas de interação no desenvolvimento do rato: regulação da expressão e potenciais papéis fisiológicos do gene Spag11
• Beneficiário: Camilla Moreira Ribeiro
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado