• PMID: 17310077
• Gene Name: SPAG5
• Condition: May cause a reduction in mitotic activity and an increase in apoptosis of fetal Sertoli cells in hgn/hgn testes
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: May cause a reduction in mitotic activity and an increase in apoptosis of fetal Sertoli cells in hgn/hgn testes

Reduced mitotic activity and increased apoptosis of fetal sertoli cells in rat hypogonadic (hgn/hgn) testes

Yagi M, Takenaka M, Suzuki K, Suzuki H.

Sterility in male hypogonadic (hgn/hgn) rats results from congenital testicular dysplasia caused by a single recessive gene hgn on rat chromosome 10. We recently identified an insertion mutation in the Spag5/astrin gene of hgn/hgn rats that may cause defective proliferation of immature Sertoli cells in the postnatal hgn/hgn testis. Since the pathological alterations were present in the testes at birth, we examined the involvement of defective mitosis and apoptotic cell death in embryonic development of hgn/hgn testes. Testicular hypoplasia was apparent at embryonic day (ED) 18.5. Immunostaining of hgn/hgn testes at ED 21.5 with antibody to GATA-4, which is specific for fetal Sertoli cells in the seminiferous cords, showed that the significant decrease in the number of fetal Sertoli cells was accompanied by a two fold increase in their mitotic index and abnormal mitosis and apoptosis. Prior to this, we observed a decrease in the number of BrdU-labeled cells, an increase in the number of TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells, and presence of MIS-positive apoptotic cells in hgn/hgn testes on ED 17.5 and 18.5. These results suggest that the Spag5 mutation may cause a reduction in mitotic activity and an increase in apoptosis of fetal Sertoli cells in hgn/hgn testes. FAU - Yagi, Mio AU - Yagi M AD - Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Japan. FAU - Takenaka, Motoo AU - Takenaka M FAU - Suzuki, Katsushi AU - Suzuki K