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Age-related and photoperiodic variation of the DAZ gene family in the testis of the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2018

Candela Rocío González*
Affiliation:
Hidalgo 775, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Luciana Moverer
Affiliation:
Centro de Estudios Biomédicos, Biotecnológicos, Ambientales y Diagnóstico, Universidad Maimónides; Hidalgo 775, 1405 Buenos Aires; Argentina.
Ricardo Saúl Calandra
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Endocrinología Molecular de la Reproducción, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Silvia Inés González-Calvar
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Endocrinología Molecular de la Reproducción, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Alfredo Daniel Vitullo
Affiliation:
Centro de Estudios Biomédicos, Biotecnológicos, Ambientales y Diagnóstico, Universidad Maimónides; Hidalgo 775, 1405 Buenos Aires; Argentina.
*
All correspondence to: Candela Rocío González. Hidalgo 775, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina. E-mail: gonzalez.candela@maimonides.edu

Summary

The Deleted in AZoospermia (DAZ) gene family regulates the development, maturation and maintenance of germ cells and spermatogenesis in mammals. The DAZ family consists of two autosomal genes, Boule and Dazl (Daz-like), and the Daz gene on chromosome Y. The aim of this study was to analyze the localization of DAZL and BOULE during testicular ontogeny of the seasonal-breeding Syrian hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. We also evaluated the testicular expression of DAZ family genes under short- or long-photoperiod conditions. In the pre-pubertal and adult testis, DAZL protein was found mainly in spermatogonia. BOULE was found in the spermatogonia from 20 days of age and during the pre-pubertal and adult period it was also detected in spermatocytes and round spermatids. DAZL and BOULE expression in spermatogonia was strictly nuclear only in 20-day-old hamsters. We also detected the novel mRNA and protein expression of BOULE in Leydig cells. In adult hamsters, Dazl expression was increased in regressed testis compared with non-regressed testis and DAZL protein expression was restricted to primary spermatocytes in regressed testis. These results show that DAZL and BOULE are expressed in spermatogonia at early stages in the Syrian hamster, then both proteins translocate to the cytoplasm when meiosis starts. In the adult regressed testis, the absence of DAZL in spermatogonia might be related to the decrease in germ cell number, suggesting that DAZ gene family expression is involved in changes in seminiferous epithelium during photoregression.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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