This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Tables Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ezer, N. Articles by Robaire, B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ezer, N. Articles by Robaire, B. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB TESTOSTERONE

Gene Expression Is Differentially Regulated in the Epididymis after Orchidectomy

Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: B. Robaire, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Montréal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada. E-mail: brobaire{at}pharma.mcgill.ca.

The epididymis is the site for the transport, maturation, and storage of spermatozoa. Regulation of epididymal structure and function is highly dependent on the ipsilateral testis. At the molecular level, however, few studies have been undertaken to determine which genes are expressed in the epididymis under testicular regulation. The goal of this study was to identify genes for which expression is regulated after orchidectomy, both throughout the epididymis and in a segment-specific manner. Microarrays spotted with 474 rat cDNAs were used to examine gene expression changes over the first 7 d post orchidectomy in the initial segment, caput, corpus, and cauda epididymidis of the adult Brown Norway rat. Using k-means cluster analysis, we show that four patterns of gene expression are activated in each epididymal segment over the first week following orchidectomy. Transient up-regulation of gene expression in the epididymis after orchidectomy is described for the first time. Potential androgen-repressed genes, including Gpx-1, show increased expression in the epididymis after orchidectomy. Several glutathione-S-transferases and calcium-binding proteins decline throughout the epididymis after orchidectomy, indicating that these may be novel androgen-regulated epididymal genes. Other genes coding for metabolism-associated proteins, transporters, and -1 acid glycoprotein show segment-specific regulation in the epididymis after orchidectomy. Finally, we describe the expression of the previously uncharacterized heat shock proteins, and apoptosis-associated genes in the epididymis after orchidectomy. Thus, gene expression in the epididymis is differentially affected over time after orchidectomy. These results provide novel insight into androgen-dependent and segment-specific epididymal function.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P Sipila, J Jalkanen, I T Huhtaniemi, and M Poutanen Novel epididymal proteins as targets for the development of post-testicular male contraception Reproduction, March 1, 2009; 137(3): 379 - 389. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Dube, L. Hermo, P. T.K Chan, and D. G Cyr Alterations in Gene Expression in the Caput Epididymides of Nonobstructive Azoospermic Men Biol Reprod, February 1, 2008; 78(2): 342 - 351. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Primiani, M. Gregory, J. Dufresne, C. E. Smith, Y. L. Liu, J. R. Bartles, D. G. Cyr, and L. Hermo Microvillar Size and Espin Expression in Principal Cells of the Adult Rat Epididymis Are Regulated by Androgens J Androl, September 1, 2007; 28(5): 659 - 669. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Prabagaran, U. C. Hegde, S. B. Moodbidri, A. H. Bandivdekar, and V. P. Raghavan Postnatal Expression and Androgen Regulation of HOXBES2 Homeoprotein in Rat Epididymis J Androl, September 1, 2007; 28(5): 755 - 771. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Pujianto, A. E. Damdimopoulos, P. Sipila, J. Jalkanen, I. Huhtaniemi, and M. Poutanen Bfk, a Novel Member of the Bcl2 Gene Family, Is Highly Expressed in Principal Cells of the Mouse Epididymis and Demonstrates a Predominant Nuclear Localization Endocrinology, July 1, 2007; 148(7): 3196 - 3204. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. T. Turner, D. S. Johnston, J. N. Finger, and S. A. Jelinsky Differential Gene Expression among the Proximal Segments of the Rat Epididymis Is Lost after Efferent Duct Ligation Biol Reprod, July 1, 2007; 77(1): 165 - 171. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Dube, P. T.K. Chan, L. Hermo, and D. G. Cyr Gene Expression Profiling and Its Relevance to the Blood-Epididymal Barrier in the Human Epididymis Biol Reprod, June 1, 2007; 76(6): 1034 - 1044. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Hoshii, T. Takeo, N. Nakagata, M. Takeya, K. Araki, and K.-i. Yamamura LGR4 Regulates the Postnatal Development and Integrity of Male Reproductive Tracts in Mice Biol Reprod, February 1, 2007; 76(2): 303 - 313. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Seenundun and B. Robaire Time-Dependent Rescue of Gene Expression by Androgens in the Mouse Proximal Caput Epididymidis-1 Cell Line after Androgen Withdrawal Endocrinology, January 1, 2007; 148(1): 173 - 188. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Yamazaki, T. Adachi, K. Sato, Y. Yanagisawa, H. Fukata, N. Seki, C. Mori, and M. Komiyama Identification and Characterization of Novel and Unknown Mouse Epididymis-Specific Genes by Complementary DNA Microarray Technology Biol Reprod, September 1, 2006; 75(3): 462 - 468. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Sipila, D. A. Pujianto, R. Shariatmadari, J. Nikkila, M. Lehtoranta, I. T. Huhtaniemi, and M. Poutanen Differential Endocrine Regulation of Genes Enriched in Initial Segment and Distal Caput of the Mouse Epididymis as Revealed by Genome-Wide Expression Profiling Biol Reprod, August 1, 2006; 75(2): 240 - 251. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Carroll, M. Hamzeh, and B. Robaire Expression, Localization, and Regulation of Inhibitor of DNA Binding (Id) Proteins in the Rat Epididymis J Androl, March 1, 2006; 27(2): 212 - 224. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. S. Johnston, S. A. Jelinsky, H. J. Bang, P. DiCandeloro, E. Wilson, G. S. Kopf, and T. T. Turner The Mouse Epididymal Transcriptome: Transcriptional Profiling of Segmental Gene Expression in the Epididymis Biol Reprod, September 1, 2005; 73(3): 404 - 413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Fargeas, A. Joester, E. Missol-Kolka, A. Hellwig, W. B. Huttner, and D. Corbeil Identification of novel Prominin-1/CD133 splice variants with alternative C-termini and their expression in epididymis and testis J. Cell Sci., August 15, 2004; 117(18): 4301 - 4311. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. R. Chauvin and M. D. Griswold Androgen-Regulated Genes in the Murine Epididymis Biol Reprod, August 1, 2004; 71(2): 560 - 569. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.A. Palladino, J.D. Powell, N. Korah, and L. Hermo Expression and Localization of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 Subunits in the Adult Rat Epididymis Biol Reprod, April 1, 2004; 70(4): 1121 - 1130. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Hsia and G. A. Cornwall DNA Microarray Analysis of Region-Specific Gene Expression in the Mouse Epididymis Biol Reprod, February 1, 2004; 70(2): 448 - 457. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]