Development and Reproduction (한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식)

The Korean Society of Developmental Biology (한국발생생물학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Expressions of Gonadotropin Subunit Genes in the Reproductively Inactive Golden Hamsters

  • Choi, Donchan (Dept. of Life Science, College of Health and Welfare Sciences, Yong-In University)
  • Received : 2022.03.22
  • Accepted : 2022.05.11
  • Published : 2022.06.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Photoperiod has well been established to regulate testicular activities in golden hamsters. These animals breed actively around summer but become infertile in winter. In males, testicles are full of multistep germ cells including spermatozoa in summer. But in winter only fundamental cells consisting of the testicles are detected. The testicular degeneration is accompanied by the reduced levels of blood gonadotropins and testosterone. In this study, the expressions of gonadotropin subunit genes were investigated in the reproductive active and inactive testicles. And parts of sequences of the gonadotropin subunits were identified and compared with those of other rodents. As results, common gonadotropin alpha (CGa), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) β, and luteinizing hormone (LH) β genes were equivalently detected in pituitaries of both sexually active and inactive animals. In considering low concentrations of gonadotropin hormones determined in pituitary, the present findings imply that the processes involved in translation and/or formation of functional hormones could be impeded in the sexually inactive hamsters. All the nucleotide sequences of gonadotropin subunits identified in this study were same as those reported previously except for one base in CGa. An unsure amino acid deduced from the CGa sequence was confirmed from mRNA sequencing. The outcomes mentioned above suggest that animals with regressed testes prepare for the sexually active period forthcoming in the future.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by a research grant from Yong-In University (2020-19).

References

  1. Bernard DJ, Merzlyak IY, Horton TH, Turek FW (2000) Differential regulation of pituitary gonadotropin subunit messenger ribonucleic acid levels in photostimulated Siberian hamsters. Biol Reprod 62:155-161. https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod62.1.155
  2. Brown DI, Garyfallou VT, Urbanski HF (2001) Photoperiodic modulation of GnRH mRNA in the male Syrian hamster. Brain Res Mol Brain Res 89:119-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-328X(01)00070-5
  3. Choi D (1996) Reproductive physiology of pineal hormone melatonin. Korean J Zool 39:337-351.
  4. Choi D (2013) Potency of melatonin in living beings. Dev Reprod 17:149-177. https://doi.org/10.12717/DR.2013.17.3.149
  5. Choi D, Han EH (2010) The impacts of photoperiods on hypothalamic proteins in the reproductive activities of golden hamsters. Dev Reprod 14:185-197.
  6. Choi D, Lee SH (2012) Neuroendocrine system in seasonal breeder: Focusing on the reproductive activity of male golden hamster. Dev Reprod 16:1-8.
  7. Elliott JA (1976) Circadian rhythms and photoperiodic time measurement in mammals. Fed Proc 35:2339-2346.
  8. Gaston S, Menaker M (1967) Photoperiodic control of hamster testis. Science 158:925-928. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.158.3803.925
  9. Jackson FL, Heindel JJ, Preslock JP, Berkowitz AS (1984) Alterations in hypothalamic content of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone associated with pineal-mediated testicular regression in the golden hamster. Biol Reprod 31:436-445. https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod31.3.436
  10. Jeon GH, Lee SH, Cheon YP, Choi D (2021) Blood-testis barrier and sperm delayed in the cauda epididymis of the reproductively regressed Syrian hamsters. Dev Reprod 25:1-14. https://doi.org/10.12717/DR.2021.25.1.1
  11. Kawazu S, Kishi H, Saita E, Jin W, Suzuki AK, Watanabe G, Taya K (2003) Inhibin secretion in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) testis during active and inactive states of spermatogenesis induced by the restriction of photoperiod. J Reprod Dev 49:87-97. https://doi.org/10.1262/jrd.49.87
  12. Pickard GE, Silverman AJ (1979) Effects of photoperiod on hypothalamic luteinizing hormone releasing hormone in the male hamster. J Endocrinol 83:421-428. https://doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.0830421
  13. Reiter RJ (1980) Photoperiod: Its importance as an impeller of pineal and seasonal reproductive rhythms. Int J Biometeorol 24:57-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245542
  14. Stetson MH, Watson-Whitmyre M (1984) Physiology of the pineal and its hormone melatonin in annual reproduction in rodents. In: Reiter RJ (ed), The Pineal Gland. Raven Press, New York, NY, pp 109-153.
  15. Stetson MH, Watson-Whitmyre M (1986) Effects of exogenous and endogenous melatonin on gonadal function in hamsters. J Neural Transm 21:55-80.
  16. Suzuki O, Mochida K, Yamamoto Y, Noguchi Y, Takano K, Matsuda J, Ogura A (2002) Comparison of glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunits of laboratory animals. Mol Reprod Dev 62:335-342. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.10120
  17. Steger RW, Bartke A, Goldman BD (1982) Alterations in neuroendocrine function during photoperiod induced testicular atrophy and recrudescence in the golden hamster. Biol Reprod 26:437-444. https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod26.3.437
  18. Urbanski HF, Doan A, Pierce M (1991) Immunocytochemical investigation of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone neurons in Syrian hamsters maintained under long or short days. Biol Reprod 44:687-692. https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod44.4.687