Regulating the balance between differentiation and apoptosis: role of CREM in the male germ cells

Abstract

Various endocrine and neuronal functions are governed by the cAMP-dependent signaling pathway. In eukaryotes, transcriptional regulation upon stimulation of the adenylyl cyclase signaling pathway is mediated by a family of cAMP-responsive nuclear factors. This family consists of a large number of members which may act as activators or repressors. These factors contain the basic domain/leucine zipper motifs and bind as dimers to cAMP-response elements (CRE). The function of CRE-binding proteins (CREBs) is modulated by phosphorylation by several kinases. Direct activation of gene expression by CREBs requires phosphorylation by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A to the serine-133 residue. The gene CREM encodes various transcription factors which play key physiological and developmental roles within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. We have previously shown that the transcriptional activator CREMτ is highly expressed in postmeiotic cells. Spermiogenesis is a complex process by which postmeiotic male germ cells differentiate into mature spermatozoa. This process involves remarkable structural and biochemical changes which are under the hormonal control of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. We have addressed the specific role of CREM in spermiogenesis using CREM-mutant mice generated by homologous recombination. Analysis of the seminiferous epithelium from mutant male mice reveals that spermatogenesis stops at the first step of spermiogenesis. Late spermatids are completely absent while there is a significant increase in apoptotic germ cells. A series of postmeiotic germ cell-specific genes are not expressed. Mutant male mice completely lack spermatozoa. This phenotype is reminiscent of cases of human infertility.