Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8943818 | Theriogenology | 2018 | 11 Pages |
Abstract
Hyperthermia can cause dysfunction of the tight junctions (TJs) in testes. Adenosine 5â²-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) participates in the regulation of TJs in testis. However, whether AMPK regulates the expression of TJ proteins in the response of Sertoli cells to heat treatment remains unknown. We subjected Sertoli cells from 3-week-old piglets to heat treatment (43â¯Â°C, 30â¯min), which decreased cell viability, and increased the early apoptosis rate. These effects were reversible and the cells gradually recovered to normal viability at 48â¯h post-heat treatment. Expression of TJ proteins (claudin 11, JAMA, occludin, and ZO1) was detected in immature porcine Sertoli cells. The mRNA and protein levels of TJ proteins significantly decreased at 1â¯h after heat exposure, but recovered with increasing recovery time. Additionally, the expression of claudin 11 in the cytoplasm was also markedly decreased by heat treatment. AMPK phosphorylation, the cellular ATP level, and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase B (CaMKKB) level, but not the liver kinase B1 (LKB1) level, were downregulated by heat treatment. More importantly, activation or overexpression of AMPK, which is a regulator of the assembly of TJs, partially rescued the heat treatment-induced downregulation of TJ proteins. By contrast, AMPK knockdown using small interfering RNA (siRNA) further decreased the expression levels of TJ proteins. In addition, claudin 11 was almost undetectable post heat treatment. Collectively, this study demonstrated that heat treatment could reversibly perturb the expression of TJ proteins in immature porcine Sertoli cells by inhibiting the AMPK signaling pathway.
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Animal Science and Zoology
Authors
Wei-Rong Yang, Ting-Ting Liao, Zi-Qiang Bao, Cai-Quan Zhou, Hong-Yan Luo, Cheng Lu, Min-Hui Pan, Xian-Zhong Wang,