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Stage‐dependent Dishevelled‐1 expression during mouse spermatogenesis suggests a role in regulating spermatid morphological changes
Author(s) -
Ma Pengpeng,
Wang Huizhen,
Guo Rui,
Ma Quanhong,
Yu Zuoren,
Jiang Yi,
Ge Yehua,
Ma Jing,
Xue Shepu,
Han Daishu
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/mrd.20468
Subject(s) - dishevelled , biology , spermatid , microbiology and biotechnology , spermiogenesis , wnt signaling pathway , cell fate determination , cytoplasm , spermatogenesis , cell polarity , signal transduction , cell , genetics , gene , frizzled , transcription factor , nucleus , endocrinology
Dishevelled (Dsh in Drosophila or DVL in mice) is a member of the highly conserved Wg/Wnt signaling pathway, which regulates important processes such as cell proliferation, polarity, and specification of cell fate. Three orthologous genes of Dishevelled ( Dvl‐1, Dvl‐2 , and Dvl‐3 ) have been found in both humans and mice. They play pivotal roles in regulating cell morphology and a variety of changes in cell behaviors. In the present study, we show that the expression of Dvl‐1 is stage‐dependent during mouse spermatogenesis, although Dvl‐2 and Dvl‐3 show relative consistent expression. The expression of Dvl‐1 mRNA first appears in pachytene spermatocytes, increases in round and elongating spermatids, and then turns to an undetectable level in mature sperm cells. Analyses of immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining show that DVL‐1 is present diffusely in the cytoplasm of pachytene spermatocytes and exhibits mainly a vesicular pattern and perinuclear distribution and a weak diffusely cytoplasmic signal in round and elongating spermatids. The vesicular pattern of DVL‐1 has been observed by previous studies in somatic cells, and suggested to play roles in signal transduction. Immunoprecipitation experiments show that DVL‐1 coimmunprecipitates with spermatogenic cells β‐actin rather than α‐tubulin. These results indicate that DVL‐1 may be involved in spermatid morphological changes during mouse spermiogenesis through mediating signal transduction and/or regulating actin cytoskeleton organization. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.