ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2018, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (8): 1642-1650.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2018.08.009

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Expression Patterns and Correlation of Adiponectin Receptors and Testosterone Secretion Related-genes Expression in Male Reproductive Organs at Different Developmental Stages of Hu Sheep

YAO Xiao-lei1,2, HUANG Xin-ai3, XIAO Shen-hua1,2, ZHENG Lin-feng1, FAN Li-jie1, JIN Yu-yue1, LIU Zi-fei1,2, ZHANG Yan-li1,2, WANG Jie3, WANG Feng1,2*   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China;
    2. Institute of Sheep Industry Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China;
    3. Jiangsu Agri-animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou 225300, China
  • Received:2018-01-29 Online:2018-08-23 Published:2018-08-23

Abstract:

The aims of this study were to observe the expression patterns and the correlation of adiponectin receptors (AdpR) and testosterone (T) synthesis-related genes in male reproductive organs at different developmental stages of Hu sheep. Five Hu sheep at ages of 3, 9, 24 month (M) were randomly selected, respectively. Blood was collected from the jugular vein of each ram to separate the plasma. Tissue samples including hypothalamus, pituitary, testis, caput, corpus and cauda were collected from the different developmental stages of Hu sheep after the slaughter. The concentrations of serum adiponectin (Adp), T, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) at different ages were analyzed by ELISA, and the expression patterns of AdpR1, AdpR2 and T synthesis-related genes mRNA in male reproductive tract at the 3 developmental stages of Hu sheep were examined by qRT-PCR. The location of AdpR1 in the male reproductive tract was detected by immunohistochemical. The results showed that the levels of Adp, GnRH and GnIH in serum had different change trends. Adp concentration were significantly higher in adult (9 and 24 month) group than pre-pubertal (3 month) group. The mRNA expression of AdpR1 in testis and epididymis cauda at different developmental stages was significantly higher than that of AdpR2 (P<0.05). Moreover, the mRNA expression of AdpR1 in the testis and cauda increased significantly with the increasing age (P<0.05), but no significant difference between epididymis caput and corpus (P>0.05). AdpR1 expressed in the ram testis and epididymis, and was mainly localized in leydig cells, spermatocytes, peritubular myoid cells and principal cells. Furthermore, Adp and T levels in serum had significant positive correlation (P<0.05). Although the content of Adp was negatively correlated with GnIH levels and positively correlated with GnRH, respectively, there was no significant difference among them (P>0.05). Meanwhile, the mRNA expression of AdpR1 were significantly positive correlated with StAR and 3β-HSD, respectively (P<0.05). In conclusion, during the development of the reproductive organs of Hu sheep,Adp may promote production of T by combining AdpR1, and then promote the testis development of Hu sheep.

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