Seasonal Changes in Immunoreactivity of Activin Signaling Component Proteins in Wild Ground Squirrel Testes

Xia SHENG; Haolin ZHANG; Mengyuan ZHANG; Wei ZHANG; Xiao HU; Moshi SONG; Jiao ZHOU; Meiyu XU; Qiang WENG; Gen WATANABE; Kazuyoshi TAYA

doi:10.1262/jrd.11-005S

Original Article

Seasonal Changes in Immunoreactivity of Activin Signaling Component Proteins in Wild Ground Squirrel Testes

Xia SHENG ^†, Haolin ZHANG ^†, Mengyuan ZHANG ^†, Wei ZHANG ^†, Xiao HU ^†, Moshi SONG ^†, Jiao ZHOU ^†, Meiyu XU ^†, Qiang WENG ^†, Gen WATANABE ^†, Kazuyoshi TAYA ^†

Author information

Xia SHENG ^†
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Haolin ZHANG ^†
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Mengyuan ZHANG ^†
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Wei ZHANG ^†
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Xiao HU ^†
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Moshi SONG ^†
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Jiao ZHOU ^†
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Meiyu XU ^†
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Qiang WENG ^†
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
Gen WATANABE ^†
Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
Department of Basic Science, United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
Kazuyoshi TAYA ^†
Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
Department of Basic Science, United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
Author contributions

†These authors contributed equally: Xia SHENG, Haolin ZHANG, Mengyuan ZHANG, Wei ZHANG, Xiao HU, Moshi SONG, Jiao ZHOU, Meiyu XU, Qiang WENG, Gen WATANABE, Kazuyoshi TAYA

Keywords: ActRIIB, SMAD, Spermatogenesis, Testes, Wild ground squirrel

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2012 Volume 58 Issue 1 Pages 126-131

DOI https://doi.org/10.1262/jrd.11-005S

View "Advance Publication" version (November 11, 2011).

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Abstract

The seasonal spermatogenesis and localization of inhibin/activin subunits (alpha, betaA, betaB) in the testes of wild ground squirrel has been previously described; however, the expression pattern of activin receptors and cytoplasmic signaling SMADs has not been detected in any seasonal breeders. The objective of this study was to investigate the abundance and cellular localization of activin signaling components in testes of the wild ground squirrel during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. The immunolocalizations of ActRIIB (activin type II receptor B) and activin-related SMADs (phospho-SMAD2/3, SMAD4 and SMAD7) were observed by immunohistochemistry. Total proteins were extracted from testicular tissues in the breeding and nonbreeding seasons and were used for Western blotting analysis for ActRIIB and SMADs. Immunoreactivities of activin signaling components were greater in the testes of the breeding season, and then decreased to a relatively low level in the nonbreeding season. ActRIIB and related SMADs were widely spread in the active testes, while spermatogonia were the predominant cellular sites of activin signal transduction during arrested spermatogenesis. The dynamic regulation of activin type II receptor and SMADs indicated that the activin signal pathway played an important paracrine role in seasonal spermatogenesis of the wild ground squirrel. Furthermore, the distinct localizations and immunoreactivity of ActRIIB and SMADs might suggest different functions of activin in seasonal spermatogenesis.

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