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c-fos Activity in Rana esculenta Testis: Seasonal and Estradiol-Induced Changes¹

Dipartimento di Fisiologia Umana e Funzioni Biologiche Integrate "F.Bottazzi", Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, II Università di Napoli, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Napoli, Italia; Istituto Internazionale di Genetica e Biofisica (CNR), Via Marconi, 80100 Napoli, Italia

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Riccardo Pierantoni, Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Dipartimento di Fisiologia Umana e Funzioni Biologiche Integrate, Universita di Napoli, Via Constantinopoli 16, Napoli 80138, Italy. E-mail: pieranto{at}unina.it

Estradiol-17ß (E₂) is suspected to exert a role in the regulation of testicular activity. Using a nonmammalian vertebrate model (the frog, Rana esculenta), we have investigated whether c-fos activity is detectable in the testis during the annual sexual cycle and whether E₂ exerts a regulatory role on spermatogenesis through fos activity. FOS protein is available in testicular nuclear extracts (about 60 kDa) and, surprisingly, also in cytosolic extracts (about 60, 80, and 100 kDa). Estradiol induces primary spermatogonia (ISPG) proliferation [this effect is counteracted by antiestrogens (Tamoxifen and ICI 182–780)] and FOS appearance in testicular cytosolic extracts as well as c-fos transcription. Also, this effect is counteracted by ICI 182–780. Interestingly, the number of FOS immunopositive nuclei of ISPG strongly increases after E₂ treatment, whereas a great increase of immunopositivity in the cytoplasm of ISPG is observed with the contemporaneous treatment with antiestrogens.

In conclusion, our results demonstrate that E₂ induces ISPG multiplication in the frog, R. esculenta, and, for the first time in a vertebrate species, that it triggers c-fos activity in the testis. Moreover, E₂ may be involved in mechanisms related to FOS transport in the nucleus of ISPG to induce the mitotic activity.

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