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ABSTRACT: Spontaneous and stress-induced germ cell apoptosis during spermatogenesis of multicellular organisms have been investigated broadly in mammals. Spermatogenetic process in urodele amphibians was essentially like that in mammals in spite of morphological differences; however, the mechanism of germ cell apoptosis in urodele amphibians remains unknown. The Chinese fire-belly newt, Cynops orientalis, was an excellent organism for studying germ cell apoptosis due to its sensitiveness to temperature, strong endurance of starvation, and sensitive skin to heavy metal exposure.
TUNEL result showed that spontaneous germ cell apoptosis took place in normal newt, and severe stress-induced apoptosis occurred to spermatids and sperm in response to heat shock (40°C 2 h), cold exposure (4°C 12 h), cadmium exposure (Cd 36 h), and starvation stress. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions (qRT-PCR) showed that gene expression of Caspase3 or Caspase7 was obviously elevated after stress treatment. Apaf1 was not altered at its gene expression level, and p53 was significantly decreased after various stress treatment. Caspase assay demonstrated that Caspase-3, -8, -9 enzyme activities in newt testis were significantly elevated after heat shock (40°C 2 h), cold exposure (4°C 12 h), and cadmium exposure (Cd 36 h), while Caspase3 and Caspase8 activities were increased with Caspase9 significantly decreased after starvation treatment.
Severe germ cell apoptosis triggered by heat shock, cold exposure, and cadmium exposure was Caspase3 dependent, which probably involved both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. Apaf1 may be involved in this process without elevating its gene expression. But starvation-induced germ cell apoptosis was likely mainly through extrinsic pathway. p53 was probably not responsible for stress-induced germ cell apoptosis in newt testis. The intriguing high occurrence of spermatid and sperm apoptosis probably resulted from the sperm morphology and unique reproduction policy of Chinese fire-belly newt, Cynops orientalis.
PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(6):e39920. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: KIF3A, the subunit within the kinesin-2 superfamily, is a typically N-terminal motor protein, which is involved in membranous organelle and intraflagellar transport. During spermatogenesis, KIF3A plays a critical role in the formation of flagella and cilia. KIF3A is also related to the left-right asymmetry, the signal pathway, DNA damage and tumorigenesis. We used RT-PCR and in situ hybridization to clone the kif3a gene, and we identified its function in the testis of the Chinese fire-bellied newt Cynops orientalis (termed as co-kif3a). The full-length sequence of co-kif3a was 2193 bp, containing a 56 bp 5'UTR, 2073 bp ORF encoding a protein of 691 amino acids and a 64 bp 3'UTR. The secondary structure analysis showed that co-KIF3A had three motor domains, representing the N-terminal motor domain (1-400 aa), α-helix domain (400-600 aa) and C-terminal tail domain (600-691 aa). The amino acid sequence of co-KIF3A shared an identity of 55.9%, 90.9%, 89.9%, 91.3% and 85.7% with its counterparts in Aedes aegypti, Mus musculus, Xenopus tropicalis, Homo sapiens and Danio rerio, respectively. The calculated molecular weight of the putative co-KIF3A was 79 kDa and its estimated isoelectric point was 6.8. RT-PCR result showed that co-kif3a was expressed in several examined tissues, with a high level in the testis and low levels in liver, muscle and ovum. Kif3a was weakly expressed in the heart and spleen, and barely detected in the intestine. In situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that in early spermatid co-kif3a was expressed around the nuclear membrane. When the tail began to emerge in the middle spermatid, mRNA transcript was abundantly concentrated in the flagellum. The mRNA signal was still very strong along all the flagellum in late spermatid. In mature spermatid, the message was weak. Therefore, co-KIF3A probably plays a functional role in the spermiogenesis of C. orientalis.
Molecular Biology Reports 07/2011; 39(4):4207-14. · 2.93 Impact Factor
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Zhongguo ying yong sheng li xue za zhi = Zhongguo yingyong shenglixue zazhi = Chinese journal of applied physiology 05/2010; 26(2):146-7, 186.
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ABSTRACT: To investigate the effects of hypoxia during the prenatal period and its later repercussions on sexual behavior and the sex hormone secretion of male rats.
Experimental animals were divided into three groups randomly: control group, which was kept at normal atmospheric pressure, and two stress groups exposed to a simulated altitude equivalent to 3000 m and 5000 m, respectively. Stress groups were exposed to hypoxic circumstance at their final week of gestation in animal decompression chamber.
Adulthood, males exposed to hypoxic stress during the prenatal period were able to mate with normal females, but these treated males exhibited decreased male sexual behavior. Decreased anogenital distances were observed in male offspring, and presented reductions of plasma testosterone levels, increase of plasma corticosterone levels, but no notable alteration in the organ index.
These results indicate that exposure to hypoxia in the later stages of pregnancy may have a long-term effect on the fertility and sexual behavior of male offspring.
Zhongguo ying yong sheng li xue za zhi = Zhongguo yingyong shenglixue zazhi = Chinese journal of applied physiology 05/2010; 26(2):182-6.
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ABSTRACT: Changes in gonadal activity and plasma sex steroid hormone levels in male and female Eumece chinensis during the breeding season were described. The results showed that: The vitellogensis of follicles of female Eumeces chinensis needed the stimulation of 17beta-estradiol (E2). As ovary masses reached peak values between late April and mid-May, E2 levels rose to the top value by late March, and then sharply declined but went up again before preovulation; The physiological functions of plasma progesterone (P) consisted in its oviductal egg retention, embryo development, and eggshell formation. P levels fluctuated near the basic value between mid-March and late April. In mid-May, with the onset of ovulation, plasma P levels rose rapidly, reached peak value by late May and declined sharply after ovulation. Plasma E2 levels declined as plasma P levels rose, showing an inverse relationship between them; In males, plasma Testosterone (T) levels were closely correlated with the maintenance of spermatogenesis activities, male and male combat, sexual display, and mating. Plasma T levels tended to rise after the termination of hibernation, and reached peak value by mid-April. After mid-May, with the testis aggressing, plasma T levels gradually went down and reached bottom value by late June.
Shi yan sheng wu xue bao 01/2005; 37(6):443-8.
