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- Frygelius, J, et al.
(författare)
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The reproductive tissue specific cystatin subgroup of genes: expression during gonadal development in wildtype and testatin knockout animals
- 2007
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Ingår i: Sexual development : genetics, molecular biology, evolution, endocrinology, embryology, and pathology of sex determination and differentiation. - : S. Karger AG. - 1661-5433. ; 1:6, s. 363-372
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- <i>Testatin</i> has been implicated in fetal testis development due to its restricted expression in pre-Sertoli cells immediately after the onset of <i>Sry</i> gene expression. However,<i> testatin</i> knockout mice showed normal testis development and fertility. We investigated the spatial and temporal expression pattern of the <i>Cres/testatin</i> subgroup of genes, including the novel gene <i>Cstl1/Cres4</i>, in fetal mouse gonads and in adult testis, epididymis and ovary. The genes are related to the family 2 cystatins of protease inhibitors. Using real-time PCR and in situ hybridization we could show that 4 subgroup genes, <i>testatin, CstSC, CstTE-1/Cres3</i> and <i>Cres</i> are expressed in fetal testis. We also confirmed the expression of <i>testatin, CstE2, CstSC, CstTE-1/Cr</i>es3, <i>Cres, CstT</i> and <i>Cstl1/Cres4</i> in adult testis and <i>CstE2, CstTE-1/Cres3, Cres</i> and <i>CstE1/Cres2</i> in adult epididymis. In <i>testatin </i>knockout animals, the expression of <i>CstE2</i> was heavily downregulated in adult testis, but not in adult epididymis, compared to wildtype controls. In conclusion, an explanation for the lack of phenotype in <i>testatin</i> knockout mice could be functional redundancy with another member of the <i>Cres/testatin</i> subgroup. The most likely candidate/s would be <i>CstSC, CstTE-1/Cres3</i> or <i>Cres</i> as they are expressed in the fetal testicular tubules in early testis differentiation together with <i>testatin.</i>
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