Expression of estrogen receptor beta in the male reproductive tract and sperm in mice

0445169 - BTÚ 2016 US eng A - Abstract
Dostálová, Pavla - Dorosh, Andriy - Děd, Lukáš - Elzeinová, Fatima - Dvořáková-Hortová, Kateřina - Pěknicová, Jana
Expression of estrogen receptor beta in the male reproductive tract and sperm in mice.
Abstract Book - SSR 2015 Annual Meeting. Madison: Society for the Study of Reproduction, 2015. s. 211.
[48th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of reproduction. 18.06.2015-22.06.2015, San Juan]
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-05547S; GA MŠMT(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520701
Institutional support: RVO:86652036
Keywords : estrogen receptor alpha * estrogen receptor beta * spermatozoa
Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology

Estrogens are sex steroid hormones that play an important role in male reproduction. Generally, estrogen action is mediated via binding and activation of estrogen receptors (ERs). Activated ERs form dimers, bind to DNA and act as transcription factors. Estrogen binding can also lead to rapid activation of several signalling cascades. Currently, two types of classical ERs are known, namely ER alpha and ER beta. In addition to classical ERs, several splice variants that may differ in their ligand- or DNA-binding properties were detected. These variants may also form dimers and modulate the function of classical full-length ERs. Estrogen action seems to be a very complex and therefore it is necessary to known the exact expression pattern of all existing variants of ERs. Since ERβ is a predominant variant in testes, we focused our study on expression of ERβ and its potential splice variants in murine testes, sperm and epididymis. According to our results from mRNA analysis, there are at least two variants of ERβ in mice testes, epididymis and sperm. These variants differ in one exon in ligand binding domain and this variability leads to different affinity to estrogens. It seems that both variants are similar in abundance within the same organ or sperm. Furthermore, cauda epididymis and sperm from cauda epididymis contain fewer ERβ compared to caput epididymis and sperm from this region. To analyse these variants also at a protein level, we prepared specific monoclonal antibodies recognizing particular variant of ERβ. Both antibodies detected band(s) in protein extracts from testes and epididymis. The present study demonstrated that at least two variants of ERβ are expressed in male reproductive tract. Further studies are needed to determine whether these variants are present within a single cell and can thus interact, or whether one type of cells preferentially express one ERβ variant while another cell type express the second variant.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0248857