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Promotion of cathepsin L activity in newt spermatogonial apoptosis induced by prolactin
Author(s) -
Fujimoto Kenta,
Yamamoto Takashi,
Kitano Takeshi,
Abé Shin-Ichi
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(02)02817-x
Subject(s) - apoptosis , cathepsin , cysteine protease , cathepsin d , cathepsin l , prolactin , caspase , cathepsin b , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , cathepsin s , protease , programmed cell death , endocrinology , enzyme , biochemistry , hormone
We previously showed that prolactin (PRL) induces apoptosis in newt secondary spermatogonia and indicated that caspase activity is involved in the apoptosis. Since it was recently reported that Z‐VAD‐fmk, a pan‐caspase inhibitor, blocks activity of cysteine cathepsins as well, we examined whether cathepsin is involved in the newt spermatogonial apoptosis. We found cathepsin L activity in the testis that was elevated by PRL in organ culture of testis, while E‐64d, a lysosomal cysteine protease inhibitor, and Z‐VAD‐fmk suppressed it and chromosomal condensation. These results suggest that cathepsin L activity play a pivotal role in PRL‐induced spermatogonial apoptosis.