Journal of Andrology
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Published-Ahead-of-Print January 24, 2007, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.106.001560

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Expression and possible functions of a novel gene SPATA12 in human testis

LI Dan *, YANG Lifang , and LU Guangxiu

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: leedanie{at}tom.com.

In our previous study, a novel human testis-specific gene SPATA12 (AY221117) was identified using the digital differential display program. Here, both SPATA12 mRNA and protein level in developmental stage of testis were detected by SYBR real-time RT-PCR and western blot. A strong SPATA12 gene expression was observed in normal adult testis but was completely absent in fetal testis. Both in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analysis showed that SPATA12 was expressed in seminiferous tubules of adult testis, more precisely in spermatocyte, spermatids and spermatozoa, no expression in Sertoli cells and Leydig cells. These results showed SPATA12 would be stage-specific and germ cell type-specific gene, which suggested that it must be involved in development of testicular maturation. It was also found that the expression level of SPATA12 mRNA in male infertility testis was associated with the amounts and density of germ cells. With the decrease of germ cell, the expression of SPATA12 mRNA was weaker. In addition, the signal in cryptorchidism patient testis and Sertoli cell-only syndrome patient testis were not detected. The flow cytometry analysis of SPATA12 in human Hela cell line and mouse germ cell GC-1 spg indicated that the expression of SPATA12 gene could delay the progression of G1-S in cell cycle. The SPATA12 was also shown to be loss in testicular germ cell tumors both at the level of transcription and translation. We hypothesized that the putative function of SPATA12 is to maintain the cell in a differentiated state and /or to suppress cell proliferation.


Key words: Infertility • Reproductive Genetics • Spermatogenesis • Testis






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