RGD Reference Report - Ghrelin Inhibits the Proliferative Activity of Immature Leydig Cells In Vivo and Regulates Stem Cell Factor Messenger RNA Expression in Rat Testis* - Rat Genome Database

Send us a Message
Submit Data |  Help |  Video Tutorials |  News |  Publications |  Download |  REST API |  Citing RGD |  Contact   
Search RGD Grant Resources Citing RGD About Us Contact Us
Genes Variants Community Projects QTLs Strains Markers Genome Information Ontologies Cell Lines References Download Submit Data
OntoMate (Literature Search) JBrowse (Genome Browser) Synteny Browser (VCMap) Variant Visualizer Multi-Ontology Enrichment (MOET) Gene-Ortholog Location Finder (GOLF) InterViewer (Protein-Protein Interactions) PhenoMiner (Quatitative Phenotypes) Gene Annotator OLGA (Gene List Generator) AllianceMine GViewer (Genome Viewer)
Aging & Age-Related Disease Cancer & Neoplastic Disease Cardiovascular Disease Coronavirus Disease Developmental Disease Diabetes Hematologic Disease Immune & Inflammatory Disease Infectious Disease Liver Disease Neurological Disease Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome Renal Disease Respiratory Disease Sensory Organ Disease
Find Models   new Genetic Models Autism Models Rat PhenoMiner (Quantitative Phenotypes) Chinchilla PhenoMiner Expected Ranges (Quantitative Phenotype) PhenoMiner Term Comparison Hybrid Rat Diversity Panel Phenotypes Phenotypes in Other Animal Models Animal Husbandry Strain Medical Records Phylogenetics Strain Availability Calendar Rats 101 Submissions Photo Archive
Pathways
Rat Community Forum Directory of Rat Laboratories Video Tutorials News RGD Publications RGD Presentations Archive Nomenclature Guidelines Resource Links Laboratory Resources Employment Resources

Ghrelin Inhibits the Proliferative Activity of Immature Leydig Cells In Vivo and Regulates Stem Cell Factor Messenger RNA Expression in Rat Testis*

Authors: Barreiro, ML  Gaytan, F  Castellano, JM  Suominen, JS  Roa, J  Gaytan, M  Aguilar, E  Dieguez, C  Toppari, J  Tena-Sempere, M 
Citation: Barreiro ML, etal., Endocrinology 2004 Jul 29;.
RGD ID: 1302206
Pubmed: PMID:15284210   (View Abstract at PubMed)
DOI: DOI:10.1210/en.2004-0732   (Journal Full-text)

Ghrelin has emerged as putative regulator of an array of endocrine and non-endocrine functions, including cell proliferation. Recently, we provided evidence for the expression of ghrelin in mature, but not in undifferentiated, Leydig cells of the rat and human testis. Yet, testicular actions of ghrelin other than modulation of testosterone secretion remain unexplored. In the present study, we aimed at evaluating the effects of ghrelin upon proliferation of Leydig cell precursors during puberty, and after selective elimination of mature Leydig cells by treatment with ethylene dimethane sulfonate (EDS). In these settings, intratesticular injection of ghrelin significantly decreased the proliferative activity of differentiating immature Leydig cells, estimated by BrdU labeling. This response was selective and associated, in EDS-treated animals, to a decrease in the mRNA levels of stem cell factor (SCF), i.e. a key signal in spermatogenesis and putative regulator of Leydig cell development. Thus, the effects of ghrelin upon SCF gene expression were further evaluated. In adult rats, ghrelin induced a significant decrease in SCF mRNA levels in vivo. Such an inhibitory action was also detected in vitro using cultures of staged seminiferous tubules. The inhibitory effect of ghrelin in vivo was dependent on proper FSH input, as it was detected in hypophysectomized rats only after FSH replacement. Overall, it is proposed that acquisition of ghrelin expression by Leydig cell precursors during differentiation may operate as a self-regulatory signal for the inhibition of the proliferative activity of this cell type, through direct or indirect (i.e. SCF-mediated) mechanisms. In addition, we present novel evidence for the ability of ghrelin to modulate the expression of SCF gene, which may have implications for the mode of action of this molecule in the testis as well as in other physiological systems.

Objects referenced in this article
Gene Kitlg KIT ligand Rattus norvegicus

Additional Information