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B 2 bradykinin receptor mediates the stimulatory effect of bradykinin on rat germ cell proliferation in vitro
Author(s) -
Atanassova N. N.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-0272.2003.00532.x
Subject(s) - bradykinin , receptor , bradykinin receptor , agonist , endocrinology , medicine , biology , receptor antagonist , cell growth , microbiology and biotechnology , antagonist , biochemistry
Summary. The contribution of B 1 and B 2 bradykinin receptors to germ cell proliferation was studied by using in vitro organ cultures of testicular fragments of 3.5‐day‐old rats in the presence of 3 H thymidine. Different combinations of agonists and antagonists of B 1 and B 2 receptors exerted differential mitogenic effect on pro‐spermatogonial cells. Application of bradykinin (B 2 receptor agonist) alone induced a threefold increase in germ cell labelling index compared with the control, whereas des‐Arg 9 ‐bradykinin (B 1 receptor agonist) caused weak stimulation (24%) on spermatogonial mitotic activity. The bradykinin‐induced germ cell proliferation was significantly affected by B 2 receptor antagonist (HOE‐140) but not by B 1 receptor antagonist. When B 1 or B 2 receptor antagonists were applied with des‐Arg 9 ‐bradykinin, the germ cell labelling indices were nonsignificantly different compared with those of B 1 receptor agonist only. The present findings suggest that B 2 receptor is involved in mediating the stimulatory effect of bradykinin on germ cell proliferation and therefore bradykinin might be an important local testicular factor in the regulation of spermatogonial division and germ cell number.