• PMID: 15660130
• Gene Name: DNAJA1
• Condition: Assocaited with spermiogenesis
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Assocaited with spermiogenesis

A type I DnaJ homolog, DjA1, regulates androgen receptor signaling and spermatogenesis

Terada K, Yomogida K, Imai T, Kiyonari H, Takeda N, Kadomatsu T, Yano M, Aizawa S, Mori M.

Two type I DnaJ homologs DjA1 (DNAJA1; dj2, HSDJ/hdj-2, rdj1) and DjA2 (DNAJA2; dj3, rdj2) work similarly as a cochaperone of Hsp70s in protein folding and mitochondrial protein import in vitro. To study the in vivo role of DjA1, we generated DjA1-mutant mice. Surprisingly, loss of DjA1 in mice led to severe defects in spermatogenesis that involve aberrant androgen signaling. Transplantation experiments with green fluorescent protein-labeled spermatogonia into DjA1(-/-) mice revealed a primary defect of Sertoli cells in maintaining spermiogenesis at steps 8 and 9. In Sertoli cells of DjA1(-/-) mice, the androgen receptor markedly accumulated with enhanced transcription of several androgen-responsive genes, including Pem and testin. Disruption of Sertoli-germ cell adherens junctions was also evident in DjA1(-/-) mice. Experiments with DjA1(-/-) fibroblasts and primary Sertoli cells indicated aberrant androgen receptor signaling. These results revealed a critical role of DjA1 in spermiogenesis and suggest that DjA1 and DjA2 are not functionally equivalent in vivo. FAU - Terada, Kazutoyo AU - Terada K AD - Department of Molecular Genetics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan. terada@gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp FAU - Yomogida, Kentaro AU - Yomogida K FAU - Imai, Tomoaki AU - Imai T FAU - Kiyonari, Hiroshi AU - Kiyonari H FAU - Takeda, Naoki AU - Takeda N FAU - Kadomatsu, Tsuyoshi AU - Kadomatsu T FAU - Yano, Masato AU - Yano M FAU - Aizawa, Shinichi AU - Aizawa S