A novel messenger ribonucleic acid homologous to human MAGE-D is strongly expressed in rat Sertoli cells and weakly in Leydig cells and is regulated by follitropin, lutropin, and prolactin
B. Hennuy et al., A novel messenger ribonucleic acid homologous to human MAGE-D is strongly expressed in rat Sertoli cells and weakly in Leydig cells and is regulated by follitropin, lutropin, and prolactin, ENDOCRINOL, 141(10), 2000, pp. 3821-3831
We have cloned a novel complementary DNA whose expression was decreased in
rat Sertoli cell cultures after treatment with FSH. This complementary DNA
encodes a protein of 570 amino acids and shares 92% homology with the human
MAGE-D protein. In contrast to other MAGE genes (A, B, or C), we have show
n that MAGE-D expression was ubiquitous in healthy rat tissues. In the semi
niferous tubules, the MAGE-D was expressed in Sertoli cells but not in germ
cells as demonstrated by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization, whereas for the
other MAGE genes, expression has been shown to be restricted to germ cells
. Interestingly, MAGE-D was also detected for the first time in the female
gonad by Northern blotting. In MLTC-1 cells (mouse Leydig tumor cell line-1
), LH and PRL stimulated MAGE-D expression. Using hypophysectomized rats, i
t was confirmed that FSH decreased MAGE-D expression, whereas LH and PRL in
creased MAGE-D messenger RNA level in the whole testis most probably throug
h a direct action on Leydig cells. As MAGE-D is present in both the seminif
erous compartment and interstitium and hormonally regulated in each, it is
possible that it has specific functions in each compartment during the deve
lopment and the maintenance of the testis.