Preliminary characterization, androgen-dependence and ontogeny of an abundant protein from mouse vas deferens

Abstract

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis revealed that the vas deferens of adult mouse contains a major protein. Mouse vas deferens protein is a basic glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 34,800 +/- 300. The protein represents 17 +/- 0.7% and 42 +/- 2.4% of soluble proteins from homogenate and luminal fluid respectively, an estimate based on densitometric scanning of polyacrylamide gels. The protein originated from the vas deferens since it was not detected in blood plasma or in sexual organs and it was still present after ligation of the epididymis. Changes in androgen status of the animal markedly affected the vas deferens protein. After castration a progressive decrease in the protein was observed and its relative percentage dropped to 2 +/- 0.4% after 45 days. The concentration of the protein returned to precastration levels after 2 weeks of testosterone treatment but oestradiol, progesterone and corticosterone were ineffective in this respect. The vas deferens protein was not synthesized in significant amounts until animals were 20 days old and its concentration increased rapidly from 20 to 30 days in concert with the pubertal increase of androgens in the vas deferens.

Cyclic AMP regulates expression of the gene coding for a mouse vas deferens protein related to the aldo-keto reductase superfamily in human and murine adrenocortical cells

“…Expression of MVDP and its mRNA is dependent on the androgen status of animals (Taragnat et al 1988) and vas deferens epithelial cell cultures express MVDP in response to androgens (Manin et al 1992). To test whether MVDP expression in adrenals is influenced by androgens, adrenocortical cells were cultured in the presence of DHT or the synthetic androgen R1881.…”

“…Interestingly, two aldose reductase-like sequences similar to human and rat aldose reductases have recently been reported in the mouse. Adult mouse vas deferens contains a large amount of a 34·5 kDa protein (mouse vas deferens protein (MVDP)) (Taragnat et al 1988). The amino acid sequence of MVDP exhibits a high degree of identity with members of the aldo-keto reductase superfamily, especially aldose reductase from human placenta (71%) and rat lens (69%) (Pailhoux et al 1990).…”

“…Although aldose reductases and other members of the aldo-keto reductase family are involved in cellular homeostasis (Bhatnagar & Srivastava 1992), little is known about the signal transduction pathways that mediate the response of these genes to extracellular signalling molecules. MVDP and FR-1 are unique among the aldo-keto reductase family in that their expression appears to be transcriptionally regulated by androgen (Taragnat et al 1988, Fabre et al 1994 and by growth factors (Donohue et al 1994) respectively.…”

AKR1B7 (mouse vas deferens protein) is dispensable for mouse development and reproductive success

“…Extensive investigation of the gene's transcriptional regulation found the vas deferens expression to be androgen-dependent (Taragnat et al 1988, Martinez et al 2001 and similarly, adrenal expression was found to be dependent on corticotrophin (adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH); Lefrancois-Martinez et al 1999, Martinez et al 2001. We previously demonstrated a remarkable 300-fold induction of AKR1B7 protein in ovarian theca cells following application of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).…”

Product of Side-chain Cleavage of Cholesterol, Isocaproaldehyde, Is an Endogenous Specific Substrate of Mouse Vas Deferens Protein, an Aldose Reductase-like Protein in Adrenocortical Cells

“…Adult mouse vas deferens contains a large amount of a major protein (mouse vas deferens protein (MVDP)) with an apparent molecular mass of 34,500 Da (6). Recently, it has been shown that MVDP expression is not restricted to the vas deferens, and high levels of MVDP mRNA were found in the adrenal glands (7).…”