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Immunohistochemical localization and possible functions of nesfatin-1 in the testis of mice during pubertal development and sexual maturation

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Abstract

The study was aimed to address the role of nesfatin-1 on the sexual maturation of testis during the pubertal transition. The immunostaining of testis suggested nesfatin-1 is expressed in Leydig cells with pubertal maturation. The pre-pubertal mice for in vivo study were randomly divided in three groups; (a) control-saline (b) treated with low (0.25 nM) dose of nesfatin-1/gbw/day and (c) treated with high (1.25 nM) dose nesfatin-1/gbw/day. Histological analysis showed that nesfatin-1 loaded mice showed facilitated maturation of testis. Western blot analysis on various protein expressions upon injection of nesfatin-1 into pre-pubertal mice suggested that expressions of proteins involving steroid hormone production, spermatogenic markers (PCNA, Bcl2, AR), glucose uptake-related proteins (GLUT8 and insulin receptor) and GnRH-R and GPR-54 proteins were facilitated. Both of lactose dehydrogenase activity and lactate levels were increased. The treatment with nesfatin-1 also reduced oxidative stress, which further facilitates testicular functions during puberty. The treatment of nesfatin-1 on cultured testis also supports in vivo findings as evident by the increased testosterone production and StAR protein expression as well as increased glucose and lactate production. In sum, our data report for the first time the accelerative role of nesfatin-1 on spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis of pre-pubertal male mice by directly acting on the testis coupled with the advancement of puberty.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge ISLS BHU Varanasi for providing NanoDrop facility. We also acknowledge the staff of the animal house, Zoology BHU for taking care and maintaining mice colony.

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This work did not receive any specific research grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India

    Ashutosh Ranjan, Mayank Choubey & Amitabh Krishna

  2. Division of Integrative Physiology, Kansai Electric Power Medical Research Institute, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan

    Toshihiko Yada

  3. Division of System Neuroscience, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan

    Toshihiko Yada

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  1. Ashutosh Ranjan
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  2. Mayank Choubey
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  3. Toshihiko Yada
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  4. Amitabh Krishna
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AR performed all the experiments. AR and AK written the main manuscript. MC and TY corrected the manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Amitabh Krishna.

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Ranjan, A., Choubey, M., Yada, T. et al. Immunohistochemical localization and possible functions of nesfatin-1 in the testis of mice during pubertal development and sexual maturation. J Mol Hist 50, 533–549 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10735-019-09846-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10735-019-09846-8

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