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Transferrin and inhibin mRNA in mature pig Sertoli cells

  • Original Article
  • Andrology
  • Published:
Reproductive Medicine and Biology

Abstract

Aims

There is increasing concern about the effect of environmental toxins and endocrine disrupters on human spermatogenesis but ethical considerations prohibit direct research. Therefore, we developed a method of isolating mature pig Sertoli cells and studying the levels of mRNA of transferrin and inhibin, markers of Sertoli cell function, using real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Methods

Sertoli cells from mature Meishan boars were isolated and cultured. The mRNA was isolated from the cells after 3 days of treatment with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone and β-estradiol. The amounts of transferrin and inhibin mRNA were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and the relative level of mRNA was calculated.

Results

FSH tended to increase the levels of transferrin and inhibin mRNA, as did the combinations of FSH and the steroids. The effect of testosterone and β-estradiol alone on the level of mRNA was less than that of FSH. Beta-estradiol treatment resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in mRNA.

Conclusion

The Sertoli cell culture used in the present study appears to have a normal secretory function because the mRNA levels of both markers increased after FSH treatment. The suppressive effect of β-estradiol on inhibin mRNA level suggests that β-estradiol has an effect on the function of Sertoli cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Tsukuba, Japan

    Nobue Kanematsu & Madoka Suto

  2. Department of Animal Products Research, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Tsukuba, Japan

    Ikuyo Nakajima

  3. Department of Research Planning and Coordination, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Tsukuba, Japan

    Kiyonori Haga

Authors
  1. Nobue Kanematsu
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  2. Ikuyo Nakajima
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  3. Kiyonori Haga
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  4. Madoka Suto
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Correspondence to Nobue Kanematsu.

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Kanematsu, N., Nakajima, I., Haga, K. et al. Transferrin and inhibin mRNA in mature pig Sertoli cells. Reprod Med Biol 4, 259–264 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0578.2005.00116.x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0578.2005.00116.x

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