| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Departments of Immunology (M.K.R., C.M.W., M.F.W.) and Experimental Radiation Oncology (M.L.M.), The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Miles F. Wilkinson, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030. E-mail: mwilkins{at}mdanderson.org.
Although many genes are expressed selectively in Sertoli cells, regulatory sequences sufficient to drive Sertoli cell-specific expression in the postnatal and adult testis in vivo have not been identified. In the present study, we identified promoter sequences from the Pem homeobox gene that direct Sertoli cell-specific expression in an androgen-dependent and stage-specific manner. Immunohistochemical and RNA analysis demonstrated that 0.6-kb 5'-flanking sequence directed transgene expression specifically in the testis and the epididymis but not in any other tissues tested. In the adult testis, this promoter fragment targeted the transgene expression specifically to Sertoli cells during stages IV–VIII of the seminiferous epithelial cycle, thereby mimicking the expression pattern of the endogenous Pem gene. This promoter fragment also recapitulated Pem’s normal postnatal expression pattern, as it directed transcript induction between d 6 and d 9 post partum. Deletion of 0.3 kb from the 5'-end of the transgene had no effect on androgen-dependent Sertoli-specific expression but altered stage-specific expression in adult testes and caused premature postnatal expression. Our results suggest that there are at least two regulatory regions in the Pem proximal promoter: one that directs androgen receptor-dependent expression specifically in Sertoli cells within the testis and another that confers stage-specific expression in neonates and adults by acting as a negative regulator. To our knowledge, this is the first identification of regulatory regions that direct faithful developmentally regulated gene expression in postnatal and adult Sertoli cells in vivo.
NURSA Molecule Pages Link:
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  G. Verhoeven and K. De Gendt Tuberoinfundibular Peptide of 39 Residues: A Neuromodulator Starting a Second Career in the Control of Meiosis Endocrinology, September 1, 2008; 149(9): 4289 - 4291. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Bhardwaj, M. K. Rao, R. Kaur, M. R. Buttigieg, and M. F. Wilkinson GATA Factors and Androgen Receptor Collaborate To Transcriptionally Activate the Rhox5 Homeobox Gene in Sertoli Cells Mol. Cell. Biol., April 1, 2008; 28(7): 2138 - 2153. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. M. Eacker, J. E. Shima, C. M. Connolly, M. Sharma, R. W. Holdcraft, M. D. Griswold, and R. E. Braun Transcriptional Profiling of Androgen Receptor (AR) Mutants Suggests Instructive and Permissive Roles of AR Signaling in Germ Cell Development Mol. Endocrinol., April 1, 2007; 21(4): 895 - 907. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Schauwaers, K. De Gendt, P. T. K. Saunders, N. Atanassova, A. Haelens, L. Callewaert, U. Moehren, J. V. Swinnen, G. Verhoeven, G. Verrijdt, et al. Loss of androgen receptor binding to selective androgen response elements causes a reproductive phenotype in a knockin mouse model PNAS, March 20, 2007; 104(12): 4961 - 4966. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Mazaud Guittot, A. Tetu, E. Legault, N. Pilon, D. W. Silversides, and R. S. Viger The Proximal Gata4 Promoter Directs Reporter Gene Expression to Sertoli Cells During Mouse Gonadal Development Biol Reprod, January 1, 2007; 76(1): 85 - 95. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R.-S. Wang, S. Yeh, L.-M. Chen, H.-Y. Lin, C. Zhang, J. Ni, C.-C. Wu, P. A. di Sant'Agnese, K. L. deMesy-Bentley, C.-R. Tzeng, et al. Androgen Receptor in Sertoli Cell Is Essential for Germ Cell Nursery and Junctional Complex Formation in Mouse Testes Endocrinology, December 1, 2006; 147(12): 5624 - 5633. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. K. Rao, J. Pham, J. S. Imam, J. A. MacLean, D. Murali, Y. Furuta, A. P. Sinha-Hikim, and M. F. Wilkinson Tissue-specific RNAi reveals that WT1 expression in nurse cells controls germ cell survival and spermatogenesis Genes & Dev., January 15, 2006; 20(2): 147 - 152. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. A. MacLean II, M. K. Rao, K. M.H. Doyle, J. S. Richards, and M. F. Wilkinson Regulation of the Rhox5 Homeobox Gene in Primary Granulosa Cells: Preovulatory Expression and Dependence on SP1/SP3 and GABP Biol Reprod, December 1, 2005; 73(6): 1126 - 1134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H Santti, L Mikkonen, A Anand, S Hirvonen-Santti, J Toppari, M Panhuysen, F Vauti, M Perera, G Corte, W Wurst, et al. Disruption of the murine PIASx gene results in reduced testis weight J. Mol. Endocrinol., June 1, 2005; 34(3): 645 - 654. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. W. Holdcraft and R. E. Braun Androgen receptor function is required in Sertoli cells for the terminal differentiation of haploid spermatids Development, January 15, 2004; 131(2): 459 - 467. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. Shetty and C. C. Y. Weng Cryptorchidism Rescues Spermatogonial Differentiation in Juvenile Spermatogonial Depletion (Jsd) Mice Endocrinology, January 1, 2004; 145(1): 126 - 133. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Endocrinology | Endocrine Reviews | J. Clin. End. & Metab. |
| Molecular Endocrinology | Recent Prog. Horm. Res. | All Endocrine Journals |
