TY - JOUR
T1 - Complex gangliosides are essential in spermatogenesis of mice
T2 - Possible roles in the transport of testosterone
AU - Takamiya, Kogo
AU - Yamamoto, Akihito
AU - Furukawa, Keiko
AU - Zhao, Jinmin
AU - Fukumoto, Satoshi
AU - Yamashiro, Shuji
AU - Okada, Masahiko
AU - Haraguchi, Masashi
AU - Shin, Masashi
AU - Kishikawa, Masao
AU - Shiku, Hiroshi
AU - Aizawa, Shinichi
AU - Furukawa, Koichi
PY - 1998/10/13
Y1 - 1998/10/13
N2 - Mice, homozygous for disrupted ganglioside GM2/GD2 synthase (EC 2.4.1.94) gene and lacking all complex gangliosides, do not display any major neurologic abnormalities. Further examination of these mutant mice, however, revealed that the males were sterile and aspermatogenic. In the seminiferous tubules of the mutant mice, a number of multinuclear giant cells and vacuolated Sertoli cells were observed. The levels of testosterone in the serum of these mice were very low, although testosterone production equaled that produced in wild-type mice. Testosterone was found to be accumulated in interstitial Leydig cells, and intratesticularly injected testosterone was poorly drained in seminiferous fluid in the mutant mice. These results suggested that complex gangliosides are essential in the transport of testosterone to the seminiferous tubules and bloodstream from Leydig cells. Our results provide insights into roles of gangliosides in vivo.
AB - Mice, homozygous for disrupted ganglioside GM2/GD2 synthase (EC 2.4.1.94) gene and lacking all complex gangliosides, do not display any major neurologic abnormalities. Further examination of these mutant mice, however, revealed that the males were sterile and aspermatogenic. In the seminiferous tubules of the mutant mice, a number of multinuclear giant cells and vacuolated Sertoli cells were observed. The levels of testosterone in the serum of these mice were very low, although testosterone production equaled that produced in wild-type mice. Testosterone was found to be accumulated in interstitial Leydig cells, and intratesticularly injected testosterone was poorly drained in seminiferous fluid in the mutant mice. These results suggested that complex gangliosides are essential in the transport of testosterone to the seminiferous tubules and bloodstream from Leydig cells. Our results provide insights into roles of gangliosides in vivo.
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U2 - 10.1073/pnas.95.21.12147
DO - 10.1073/pnas.95.21.12147
M3 - Article
C2 - 9770454
AN - SCOPUS:13144255753
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 95
SP - 12147
EP - 12152
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 21
ER -