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Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 290: C733-C740, 2006. First published October 19, 2005; doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00106.2005
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EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX, CELL INTERACTIONS

Opposite regulation of connexin33 and connexin43 by LPS and IL-1{alpha} in spermatogenesis

Celine Fiorini,1 Xavier Decrouy,2 Norah Defamie,1 Dominique Segretain,2 and Georges Pointis1

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U 670, 1Faculté de Médecine, Nice cedex; and 2Université de Paris V René Descartes, INSERM U 670, Paris, France

Submitted 9 March 2005 ; accepted in final form 11 October 2005

The gap junction proteins, connexins (Cxs), are present in the testis, and among them, Cx43 play an essential role in spermatogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the testicular expression and regulation of another Cx, Cx33, previously described as a negative regulator of gap junction communication. Cx33 mRNA was present in testis and undetectable in heart, liver, ovary, and uterus. In the mature testis, Cx33 was specifically immunolocalized in the basal compartment of the seminiferous tubules, whereas Cx43 was present in both seminiferous tubule and interstitial compartments. During stages IX and X of spermatogenesis, characterized by Sertoli cell phagocytosis of residual bodies, Cx43 was poorly expressed within seminiferous tubules, while Cx33 signal was strong. To evaluate the role of phagocytosis in the control of Cx33 and Cx43 expression, the effect of LPS was analyzed in the Sertoli cell line 42GPA9. We show herein that phagocytosis activation by LPS concomitantly stimulated Cx33 and inhibited Cx43 mRNA levels. These effects appear to have been mediated through IL-1{alpha}, because the exposure of Sertoli cells to the IL-1 receptor antagonist partly reversed these effects. IL-1{alpha} enhanced and reduced, respectively, the levels of Cx33 and Cx43 mRNA in a time- and dose-dependent manner. These data reveal that Cx33 and Cx43 genes are controlled differently within the testis and suggest that these two Cxs may exert opposite and complementary effects on spermatogenesis.

Sertoli cell; germ cell proliferation


Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: G. Pointis, Faculté de Médecine, INSERM U 670, 28 Ave. de Valombrose, 06107 Nice cedex 2, France (e-mail: pointis{at}unice.fr)






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