• PMID: 18755802
• Gene Name: ESR1
• Condition: Male infertility
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Male infertility

Defects of prostate development and reproductive system in the estrogen receptor-alpha null male mice

Chen M, Hsu I, Wolfe A, Radovick S, Huang K, Yu S, Chang C, Messing EM, Yeh S.

The estrogen receptor-alpha knockout (ERalphaKO, ERalpha-/-) mice were generated via the Cre-loxP system by mating floxed ERalpha mice with beta-actin (ACTB)-Cre mice. The impact of ERalpha gene deletion in the male reproductive system was investigated. The ACTB-Cre/ERalpha(-/-) male mice are infertile and have lost 90% of epididymal sperm when compared with wild-type mice. Serum testosterone levels in ACTB-Cre/ERalpha(-/-) male mice are 2-fold elevated. The ACTB-Cre/ERalpha(-/-) testes consist of atrophic and degenerating seminiferous tubules with less cellularity in the disorganized seminiferous epithelia. Furthermore, the ventral and dorsal-lateral prostates of ACTB-Cre/ERalpha(-/-) mice display reduced branching morphogenesis. Loss of ERalpha could also be responsible for the decreased fibroblast proliferation and changes in the stromal content. In addition, we found bone morphogenetic protein, a mesenchymal inhibitor of prostatic branching morphogenesis, is significantly up-regulated in the ACTB-Cre/ERalpha(-/-) prostates. Collectively, these results suggest that ERalpha is required for male fertility, acts through a paracrine mechanism to regulate prostatic branching morphogenesis, and is involved in the proliferation and differentiation of prostatic stromal compartment. FAU - Chen, Ming AU - Chen M AD - Department of Urology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 656, Rochester, New York 14642, USA. FAU - Hsu, Iawen AU - Hsu I FAU - Wolfe, Andrew AU - Wolfe A FAU - Radovick, Sally AU - Radovick S FAU - Huang, KuoHsiang AU - Huang K FAU - Yu, Shengqiang AU - Yu S FAU - Chang, Chawnshang AU - Chang C FAU - Messing, Edward M AU - Messing EM