Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8477339 | Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology | 2013 | 10 Pages |
Abstract
Vitamin D is a key factor for calcium and bone homeostasis, but signalling through the vitamin D receptor (VDR) seems also to be important for testicular function. To test the functional role of vitamin D signalling we examined the male reproductive system of the Leuven Vdr-ablated (Vdrâ/â) mice, previously established as a model for hereditary vitamin D-resistant rickets. We investigated reproductive hormones, changes in gene expression and histological phenotype of eleven Vdrâ/â, eight Vdr+/â and nine Vdr+/+ mice. Testicular and epididymal histology were grossly normal in Vdrâ/â mice. Accordingly, no differences were found in serum concentrations of testosterone, estradiol, LH, and FSH or testicular expression of Cyp19a1, Ersα, Cyp17a1, Star, Insl3, Inhbb, and Amh. However, a significantly lower ERβ expression was found in testis of Vdr+/â and Vdrâ/â mice, conversely epididymal expressions of ERα and the estrogen-target gene Aqp9 were higher. In conclusion, vitamin D seems dispensable for murine spermatogenesis and sex hormone production, but aberrant estrogen-signalling may elicit some of the VDR-mediated effects on male reproduction.
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Authors
Martin Blomberg Jensen, Liesbet Lieben, John E. Nielsen, Ariane Willems, Anne Jørgensen, Anders Juul, Jorma Toppari, Geert Carmeliet, Ewa Rajpert-De Meyts,