【中图分类号】R322.6+4【文献标识码】A【文章编号】0529-1356(2000)04-339
THE PERIODIC CHANGE OF CELLULAR RETINOID BINDING
PROTEIN mRNA LEVEL IN RAT TESTIS DURING THE CYCLE
OF THE SEMINIFEROUS EPITHELIUM
CHEN Yong-meiYE Shi-junHUANG Yu-lingZHENG Wen-li
(Department of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medcine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China)
【Abstract】Objective To investigate the variation of the level of rat cellular retinol-binding protein-Ⅰ(CRBP-Ⅰ) and cellular retinoic acid binding protein-Ⅱ(CRABP-Ⅱ) mRNA in rat testis during the spermatogenetic cycle.Methods In situ hybridization was performed with DIG-labeled rat CRBP-Ⅰ or CRABP-Ⅱ cDNA probe on male SD rats frozen tissue sections. The laser density scanning system was used to quantitate the level of the positive signal. Results We found that both of CRBP-Ⅰ and CRABP-Ⅱ genes were expressed in the SC in the testis, and a stage-dependent variation was observed. No signal was found in the spermatogenetic cells. The CRBP-Ⅰ mRNA levels increased from stage Ⅶ-Ⅷ through stage Ⅸ-Ⅺ, reached a peak during stage ⅪⅠ-ⅪⅤ,and declined markedly between stage Ⅰ-Ⅵ, very slight hybridization signal was seen at stage Ⅱ-Ⅳ. The CRABP-Ⅱ mRNA levels were two folds lower at stage Ⅰ-Ⅵ than that detected at stage Ⅶ-ⅪⅤ,at stage Ⅶ-Ⅷ it reached a peak, thereafter declined. Conclusion The expression of both CRBP-Ⅰ and CRABP-Ⅱ genes was higher at stage Ⅶ-ⅪⅤthan at stage Ⅰ-Ⅵ. At the later of the spermatogenetic cycle the high expression of CRBP-Ⅰ, CRABP-Ⅱ suggested that they might play an role in the spermiogenesis from round sperm to elongated one. The peak of CRBP-Ⅰ mRNA levels at stage ⅪⅠ-ⅪⅤ indicated that it might play a key role in the process that the secondary spermatocytes finished meiosis and a new spermatogenetic cycle was initiated. The cyclically secreted proteins of SC may be one important factor by which SC influences spermatogenesis.
【Key words】 Sertoli cell; Testis; Cellular retinol-binding protein-Ⅰ(CRBP-Ⅰ);Cellular retinoic acid binding protein-Ⅱ(CRABP-Ⅱ)
视黄醇(retinol, R,维生素A)和它的衍生物视黄醛(retinaldehyde),视黄酸(retinoic acid, RA),统称为Retinoid(Rs)。很早人们就发现Rs是正常精子发生所必需的。如果食物中缺乏R(vitamin A deficient, VAD),会导致大鼠曲细精管生精上皮极度退化,所有后期生精细胞均降解,仅剩下支持细胞、A1型精原细胞和少量前细线期精母细胞[1]。食物中恢复供应R或睾内注射高浓度RA则可逆转这一改变,启动一个同步化的精子发生[2,3]。CRBP及CRABP分别是R和RA在细胞内的结合蛋白,细胞内Rs结合蛋白在Rs转运和代谢中起着非常重要的作用,但这类蛋白在生精过程中的确切功能和作用机理仍不清楚。目前国外有少量研究,但尚属起步阶段,国内还未见报道。鉴于此,我们对大鼠生精过程中睾丸CRBP-Ⅰ、CRABP-Ⅱ mRNA水平进行了动态观察。
材料和方法
1.材料
动物:SD健康雄性大鼠4只,体重400g左右,由药检所实验动物中心提供。
探针:大鼠CRBP-ⅠcDNA,长0.4kb,大鼠CRABP-ⅡcDNA,长0.42kb,载体均为pCRTMⅡ。
试剂盒:地高辛DNA标记和检测试剂盒(DIG DNA Labeling and Detection kit)为Boehringer Mannbeim公司产品。
2.实验方法
2.1cDNA片段的制备[4]:分别将含CRBP-Ⅰ、CRABP-Ⅱ的重组质粒用氯化钙法转化大肠杆菌DH5α菌株,筛选转化成功者小量制备质粒,用EcoRⅠ酶切鉴定。将含正确cDNA质粒的细菌克隆大量扩增,碱裂解法提取质粒,PEG法纯化,限制性内切酶消化,低熔点琼脂糖回收cDNA片段,测定A260和A280值,计算DNA浓度,其余置-20℃保存。用地高辛DNA标记和检测试剂盒标记和检测cDNA探针。
2.2组织冰冻切片的制备:大鼠断头处死后迅速取出睾丸,经液氮速冻后,于-20℃恒冷箱切片机中切片(厚8~10μm),新鲜配制的4%多聚甲醛固定,PBS冲洗,待切片晾干后存-20℃备用。于原位杂交切片的相邻切片进行PAS染色,在光镜下确定每个曲细精管属哪一期,以此为依据,确认原位杂交切片中各曲细精管的分期,本实验分曲细精管为Ⅰ、Ⅱ~Ⅳ、Ⅴ、Ⅵ、Ⅶ~Ⅷ、Ⅸ~Ⅺ、ⅪⅠ~ⅪⅤ期7个阶段。
2.3原位杂交[5]:室温下用含5 mmol/L MgCl-2的PBS和2×SSC洗切片,预杂交液37℃预杂交1h,杂交液(含新变性的探针约2mg/L)于37℃杂交16h(以杂交液中除去探针作阴性对照)。2×SSC、1×SSC、0.5×SSC于室温下依次清洗,于封闭液中封闭30min,于抗体溶液中孵育2h,加入新鲜配制的显色液,暗处显色满意后,TE终止显色。梯度酒精脱水,二甲苯透明,树脂封片,镜检并摄片。
2.4原位杂交结果的定量及统计学处理:采用Pharmacia LKB Ultroscan XL激光密度扫描系统对原位杂交结果进行灰度扫描,以其平均相对灰度值作为mRNA量的参数,数据以均数±标准误±s表示,对灰度扫描数据进行方差分析和SNK检验,检验标准α=0.05。
结果
1.制备的质粒DNA的限制性内切酶酶切分析
用质粒转化大肠杆菌,小量制备质粒DNA后用EcoRⅠ消化,经琼脂糖凝胶电泳后可见分别有400bp和420bp的目的cDNA片段,与预期相符。
2.原位杂交的结果
2.1CRBP-Ⅰ:蓝色颗粒状阳性杂交信号主要位于SC(图2),且有明显的周期性改变,Leydig细胞中亦有表达,生精细胞中无表达。SC中的阳性信号Ⅶ~ⅪⅤ期处于高水平,ⅪⅠ~ⅪⅤ期达到高峰,至Ⅰ期骤然下降,Ⅰ~Ⅵ期为低水平,其中Ⅱ~Ⅳ期最低,仅为高峰时期的28%(图1)。方差分析显示各个阶段之间具有非常显著差异(P<0.01),SNK检验显示其中ⅪⅠ~ⅪⅤ期与Ⅰ、Ⅱ~Ⅳ、Ⅴ、Ⅵ期之间分别有显著差异(P<0.05)(
