Journal of Andrology Testis Workshop 2009
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Published-Ahead-of-Print March 5, 2009, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.108.007310
Journal of Andrology, Vol. 30, No. 5, September/October 2009
Copyright © American Society of Andrology
DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.108.007310

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
30/5/590    most recent
Author Manuscript (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Oliveira, C. A.
Right arrow Articles by Hess, R. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Oliveira, C. A.
Right arrow Articles by Hess, R. A.

Cellular and Regional Distributions of Ubiquitin-Proteasome and Endocytotic Pathway Components in the Epithelium of Rat Efferent Ductules and Initial Segment of the Epididymis

CLEIDA A. OLIVEIRA*, ANNA BOLIVAR VICTOR-COSTA* AND REX A. HESS{dagger}

From the * Department of Morphology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; and the {dagger} Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois.

Correspondence to: Dr Rex A. Hess, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Illinois, 2001 S Lincoln, Urbana, IL 61802-6199 (e-mail: rexhess{at}illinois.edu).



Abstract

Efferent ductules of the male reproductive tract contain high concentrations of estrogen receptors (ER), which are essential for the regulation of fluid reabsorption and maintenance of normal epithelial morphology. Treatments with the antiestrogen ICI 182,780 and 17β-estradiol cause a reduction in ER{alpha} expression; however, the mechanisms governing the down-regulation are undetermined. In other tissues, the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway appears to have a dominant role in regulating ER{alpha} turnover, although in the efferent ductules, an abundance of epithelial lysosomes could also participate in protein turnover. To study this activity, the expressions of proteasome, ubiquitin, and markers for the endocytotic apparatus (early endosome antigen-1 [EEA1], clusterin, and cathepsin D) were examined in rat efferent ductules and initial segment of epididymis. Distinct cellular, subcellular, and regional distributions of these proteins were observed in the epithelial cells. A gradient of proteasome, ubiquitin, EEA1, and clusterin staining was seen in the efferent ducts, which decreased 30%–41% from the proximal zone to the terminal common duct. Antiestrogen treatment resulted in significant decreases in proteasome, EEA1, and clusterin in the efferent ducts. Localization of ubiquitin-proteasome and endocytotic pathway components suggests that differential regulation is required for protein degradation and turnover in efferent ductules and head of the epididymis.

     Key words: Lysosome, endosome, cathepsin, ICI 182,780






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2009 by The American Society of Andrology.