Expression of the lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase gene in the reproductive tracts of Holstein bulls

Gene and protein expression in the reproductive tract of Brazilian Somalis rams

Brazilian Somalis is a locally-adapted breed of rams raised in tropical climate and native pastures. The present study was conducted to evaluate gene expression and proteome of the reproductive tract of such rams. Samples were collected from testes, epididymides, seminal vesicles and bulbourethral glands of four rams. Expression of clusterin (CLU), osteopontin (OPN) and prostaglandin D2 synthase (PGDS) genes were evaluated in all samples by real-time PCR. Shotgun proteomic analysis was performed using samples from the head, corpus and cauda epididymides and from all other structures as well. Gene ontology terms and protein interactions were obtained from UniProtKB databases and MetaCore v.6.8 platform. CLU trasncripts were detected in the testes, epididymides, seminal vesicles and bulbourethral glands of the Somalis rams. The initial region and body of the epididymis had the greatest CLU expression. OPN mRNA was localized in all tissues of the ram reproductive tract. PGDS mRNA was detected in the testes and epididymides. Lable-free mass spectrometry allowed the identification of 137 proteins in all samples. Proteins of the epididymis head mainly participate in cellular processes and response to stimulus, participating in catalityc activity and binding. Proteins of epididymis body acted as regulatory proteins and in cellular processes, with binding and catalytic activity. Cauda epididymis molecules were associated with cellular processes and regulation, with binding function and catalytic activity as well. Testis proteins were mainly linked to cell processes and response to stimuli, and had catalytic function. Seminal vesicle proteins were involved in regulation and mainly with binding functions. Most bulbourethral gland proteins participated in cellular processes. The present study is the first to evaluate the proteome and gene expressions in the reproductive tract of Brazilian Somalis rams. Such pieces of information bring significant cointribution for the understanding of the reproductive physiology of locally-adapted livestock.

Possible roles of myostatin and PGC-1alpha in the increase of skeletal muscle and transformation of fiber type in cold-exposed chicks: expression of myostatin and PGC-1alpha in chicks exposed to cold

This study examined the hypothesis that myostatin and PGC-1alpha are involved in the increase in skeletal muscle mass and transformation of fiber type in cold-exposed chicks. One-week-old chicks were exposed to acute (24h) or long-term (8d) cold at 4 degrees C or kept warm at 30 degrees C. Acute cold exposure induced a significant increase in the skeletal muscle weight and the ratio of slow- to fast-fiber specific troponin I expression (sTnI/fTnI), accompanied by a significant decrease in lactate dehydrogenase activity. Expression of myostatin mRNA in the muscle was significantly lower in cold-exposed chicks than in the controls, whereas PGC-1alpha mRNA expression was significantly enhanced. These changes in the gene expression rapidly returned to the levels of the control chicks after the end of cold exposure, whereas the changes in fiber type and enzymatic activity were not resumed within 24h after removal of cold exposure. On the other hand, long-term exposure to cold resulted in a remarkable increase in skeletal muscle weight, accompanied by a significant increase in the ratio of sTnI/fTnI and the enzymatic activities of cytochrome oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase. However, the expression level of myostatin mRNA in cold-exposed chicks was not different from that in their age-matched control chicks and that of PGC-1alpha mRNA was significantly lower than in the controls. These results indicate that myostatin and PGC-1alpha expression in the skeletal muscle rapidly change in response to acute cold, suggesting the possibility that these two genes could be involved in the increase in muscle mass and transformation of fiber type, respectively, at the initial stage of adaptation in cold-exposed chicks.