• PMID: 22556341
• Gene Name: TSC22D3
• Condition: Associated with testis development
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Associated with testis development

The glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (gilz/Tsc22d3-2) gene locus plays a crucial role in male fertility

Suarez PE, Rodriguez EG, Soundararajan R, Mérillat AM, Stehle JC, Rotman S, Roger T, Voirol MJ, Wang J, Gross O, Pétrilli V, Nadra K, Wilson A, Beermann F, Pralong FP, Maillard M, Pearce D, Chrast R, Rossier BC, Hummler E.

The glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (Tsc22d3-2) is a widely expressed dexamethasone-induced transcript that has been proposed to be important in immunity, adipogenesis, and renal sodium handling based on in vitro studies. To address its function in vivo, we have used Cre/loxP technology to generate mice deficient for Tsc22d3-2. Male knockout mice were viable but surprisingly did not show any major deficiencies in immunological processes or inflammatory responses. Tsc22d3-2 knockout mice adapted to a sodium-deprived diet and to water deprivation conditions but developed a subtle deficiency in renal sodium and water handling. Moreover, the affected animals developed a mild metabolic phenotype evident by a reduction in weight from 6 months of age, mild hyperinsulinemia, and resistance to a high-fat diet. Tsc22d3-2-deficient males were infertile and exhibited severe testis dysplasia from postnatal d 10 onward with increases in apoptotic cells within seminiferous tubules, an increased number of Leydig cells, and significantly elevated FSH and testosterone levels. Thus, our analysis of the Tsc22d3-2-deficient mice demonstrated a previously uncharacterized function of glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper protein in testis development. FAU - Suarez, Philippe Emmanuel AU - Suarez PE AD - Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Lausanne, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland. FAU - Rodriguez, Elena Gonzalez AU - Rodriguez EG FAU - Soundararajan, Rama AU - Soundararajan R FAU - Mérillat, Anne-Marie AU - Mérillat AM FAU - Stehle, Jean-Christophe AU - Stehle JC FAU - Rotman, Samuel AU - Rotman S FAU - Roger, Thierry AU - Roger T FAU - Voirol, Marie-Jeanne AU - Voirol MJ FAU - Wang, Jian AU - Wang J FAU - Gross, Olaf AU - Gross O FAU - Pétrilli, Virginie AU - Pétrilli V FAU - Nadra, Karim AU - Nadra K FAU - Wilson, Anne AU - Wilson A FAU - Beermann, Friedrich AU - Beermann F FAU - Pralong, François Pierre AU - Pralong FP FAU - Maillard, Marc AU - Maillard M FAU - Pearce, David AU - Pearce D FAU - Chrast, Roman AU - Chrast R FAU - Rossier, Bernard Claude AU - Rossier BC