Expression of the receptor guanylyl cyclase C and its ligands in reproductive tissues of the rat: A potential role for a novel signaling pathway in the epididymis

Jaleel, Mahaboobi and London, Roslyn M and Eber, Sammy L and Forte, Leonard R and Visweswariah, Sandhya S (2002) Expression of the receptor guanylyl cyclase C and its ligands in reproductive tissues of the rat: A potential role for a novel signaling pathway in the epididymis. In: Biology of Reproduction, 67 (6). pp. 1975-1980.

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Abstract

Guanylyl cyclase C (GC-C) is a membrane-associated form of guanylyl cyclase and serves as the receptor for the heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) peptide and endogenous ligands guanylin, uroguanylin, and lymphoguanylin. The major site of expression of GC-C is the intestinal epithelial cell, although GC-C is also expressed in extraintestinal tissue such as the kidney, airway epithelium, perinatal liver, stomach, brain, and adrenal glands. Binding of ligands to GC-C leads to accumulation of intracellular cGMP, the activation of protein kinases G and A, and phosphorylation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a chloride channel that regulates salt and water secretion. We examined the expression of GC-C and its ligands in various tissues of the reproductive tract of the rat. Using reverse transcriptase and the polymerase chain reaction, we demonstrated the presence of GC-C, uroguanylin, and guanylin mRNA in both male and female reproductive organs. Western blot analysis using a monoclonal antibody to GC-C revealed the presence of differentially glycosylated forms of GC-C in the caput and cauda epididymis. Exogenous addition of uroguanylin to minced epididymal tissue resulted in cGMP accumulation, suggesting an autocrine or endocrine activation of GC-C in this tissue. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated expression of GC-C in the tubular epithelial cells of both the caput epididymis and cauda epididymis. Our results suggest that the GC-C signaling pathway could converge on CFTR in the epididymis and perhaps control fluid and ion balance for optimal sperm maturation and storage in this tissue.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Biology of Reproduction
Publisher:	Society for the Study of Reproduction
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Society for the Study of Reproduction.
Keywords:	cyclic guanosine monophosphate;epididymis;female reproductive tract;male reproductive tract;polypeptide receptors
Department/Centre:	Division of Biological Sciences > Molecular Reproduction, Development & Genetics
Date Deposited:	19 Jul 2011 06:51
Last Modified:	19 Jul 2011 06:51
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/39206

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