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Effect of Heat Stress on Expression of Junction-Associated Molecules and Upstream Factors Androgen Receptor and Wilms’ Tumor 1 in Monkey Sertoli Cells

State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Yi-Xun Liu, Professor, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China. E-mail: liuyx{at}ioz.ac.cn.

Sertoli cells are important in determining the fate of spermatogenic cells by providing nutrition and structural support via cell junctions. In this study, we sought to examine the effect of 43 C warming on cell junctions in seminiferous epithelium and the expression of junction-associated molecules in Sertoli cells. Electron microscopy showed the appearance of large vacuoles between Sertoli and germ cells and adjacent Sertoli cells, leading to disruption of corresponding cell junctions 24 h after terminating the heat treatment. Using primary Sertoli cells isolated from pubertal monkey testes, we demonstrated that expression of adherens junction-associated molecules, such as N-cadherin and β-catenin, and tight junction-associated molecule zonula occludens protein 1 was significantly reduced in 24–48 h after heat treatment. In contrast, intermediate filament vimentin expression was up-regulated in 6–48 h. Androgen receptor (AR) and Wilms’ tumor gene 1 expression dramatically decreased after heat treatment. Both proteins completely disappeared immediately after terminating heat treatment and began to recover after 6 h. Treatment of the monkey Sertoli cells with an AR antagonist, flutamide, could mimic the heat-induced changes in the expression of junction-associated molecules in Sertoli cells. Furthermore, overexpression of AR in the Sertoli cells up-regulated the expression of N-cadherin, β-catenin, and zonula occludens protein 1 and down-regulated vimentin expression. Their expression after heat treatment could be rescued by the AR overexpression. These results indicate that the decreased AR expression after heat treatment is involved in heat-induced cell junction disruption.