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TAp73 is essential for germ cell adhesion and maturation in testis

ABSTRACT: A core evolutionary function of the p53 family is to protect the genomic integrity of gametes. However, the role of p73 in the male germline is unknown. Here we uncover that TAp73 unexpectedly functions as adhesion and maturation factor of the seminiferous epithelium orchestrating spermiogenesis. TAp73KO and p73KO mice, but not ΔNp73KO mice, display a ‘near-empty seminiferous tubule’ phenotype due to massive premature loss of immature germ cells. Its cellular basis are defective cell-cell adhesions of developing germ cells to Sertoli nurse cells, with secondary degeneration of Sertoli cells including the blood-testis-barrier, thereby disrupting the adhesive integrity and maturation of the germ epithelium. At the molecular level, TAp73, produced in germ cells, controls a coordinated transcriptional program of adhesion- and migration-related proteins including peptidase inhibitors, proteases, receptors and integrins required for germ-Sertoli cell adhesion and dynamic junctional restructuring. Thus, the testis emerges as unique organ with strict division of labor among all family members: p63 and p53 safeguard germline fidelity, while TAp73 ensures fertility by enabling sperm maturation.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE52124 | GEO | 2014/03/07

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA226753

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Mammalian spermatogenesis is a complex biological process that occurs within a highly organized tissue, the seminiferous epithelium. The coordinated maturation of spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids suggests the existence of precise programs of gene expression in these cells as well as in their neighboring somatic Sertoli cells. The objective of this study was to elucidate genes encoding the proteins that execute these programs. Rat seminiferous tubules at stages I, II-III, IV-V, VI, VIIa,b, VIIc,d, VIII, IX-XI, XII, XIII-XIV of the cycle were isolated by microdissection and Sertoli cells, spermatogonia plus early spermatocytes, pachytene spermatocytes and spermatids were purified from enzymatically-dispersed testes. Microarray analysis using Rat Genome 230 2.0 arrays identified a total of 16,971 probe sets that recognized transcripts. A comparison with the transcriptome of other tissues identified 398 testis-specific probe sets, which therefore are potential targets for the development of new contraceptives. Sequential waves of cell and stage-specific gene expression are associated with progression of germ cells through the stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium and 1612 probe sets recognized transcripts whose expressions varied at least 4-fold across the stages of the cycle. Pathway analyses reveal that entire biological processes are regulated cyclically in testicular cells. Important among these are cell cycle and DNA repair. Thus, stage-specific gene expression is a widespread and fundamental characteristic of spermatogenic cells and Sertoli cells. Experiment Overall Design: Seminiferous tubules at the following stages or groups of stages were isolated by transillumination-assisted microdissection: I, II-III, IV-V, VI, VIIa,b, VIIc,d, VIII, IX-XI, XII, XIII-XIV. Twenty-five segments of tubules, 2 m in length, were collected at each stage or group of stages from each rat. Tubules from two separate animals were pooled to form one sample from each stage or groups of stages. A total of 5 independent samples per stage or groups of stages were analyzed. Mature Sertoli cells were isolated to about 85% purity (n=4). Three groups of germ cells were isolated by centrifugal elutriation from enzyme-dispersed testes: round spermatids (n=4), pachytene spermatocytes (n=4) and spermatogonia plus early spermatocytes (n=3) . Purity of these cells has been shown to vary between 85% to 95%

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TAp73 is essential for germ cell adhesion and maturation in testis

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