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Li J, Jiang Y, Xue W, Liu L, Yu H, Zhang X, Ye X, Miao J, Liu J, Chen Y, Lan X, Liu X, Yao W, Sun J, Zheng J, Xiao J. Effects of transplantation of umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells into the scrotum on sexual function in elderly mice. Regen Med 2023; 18:695-706. [PMID: 37554102 DOI: 10.2217/rme-2022-0191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: This study investigated the effect of allografting umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (UCBMCs) into the scrotum on sexual function in male elderly mice. Methods: UCBMCs were injected once into the scrotal sheath cavity of elderly mice. Results: The transplanted UCBMCs survived in the scrotal sheath cavity for 1 month. The mice had significantly increased blood testosterone concentrations, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels and total nitric oxide synthase (T-NOS) activity in the corpus cavernosum and an increase in the number of mouse matings within 30 min (all p = 0.000). Conclusion: Scrotum-implanted UCBMCs improve the sexual function of male elderly mice through testosterone production and the NOS/cGMP pathway, which may provide an innovative transplantation approach for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
- Medical School, Kunming University, Kunming, 650214, China
| | - Yinghong Jiang
- Medical School, Kunming University, Kunming, 650214, China
| | - Wei Xue
- Medical School, Kunming University, Kunming, 650214, China
| | - Lejiang Liu
- Medical School, Kunming University, Kunming, 650214, China
| | - Hua Yu
- Medical School, Kunming University, Kunming, 650214, China
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- Medical School, Kunming University, Kunming, 650214, China
| | - Xiao Ye
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
| | - Jianrong Miao
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
| | - Jianling Liu
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
| | - Yueen Chen
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
| | - Xingbin Lan
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
| | - Xiaoqing Liu
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
| | - Wensong Yao
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
| | - Jianchuan Sun
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
| | - Jing Zheng
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
| | - Jianzhong Xiao
- Medical School, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, 352100, China
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Vasauskas AA, Chen H, Wu S, Cioffi DL. The serine-threonine phosphatase calcineurin is a regulator of endothelial store-operated calcium entry. Pulm Circ 2014; 4:116-27. [PMID: 25006427 DOI: 10.1086/675641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Disruption of the endothelium leads to increased permeability, allowing extravasation of macromolecules and other solutes from blood vessels. Calcium entry through a calcium-selective, store-operated calcium (SOC) channel, I soc, contributes to barrier disruption. An understanding of the mechanisms surrounding the regulation of I soc is far from complete. We show that the calcium/calmodulin-activated phosphatase calcineurin (CN) plays a role in regulation of SOC entry, possibly through the dephosphorylation of stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1). Phosphorylation has been implicated as a regulatory mechanism of activity for a number of canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) and SOC channels, including I soc. Our results show that STIM1 phosphorylation increases in pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) upon activation of SOC entry. However, the phosphatases involved in STIM1 dephosphorylation are unknown. We found that a CN inhibitor (calcineurin inhibitory peptide [CIP]) increases the phosphorylation pattern of STIM1. Using a fura 2-acetoxymethyl ester approach to measure cytosolic calcium in PAECs, we found that CIP decreases SOC entry following thapsigargin treatment in PAECs. Luciferase assays indicate that thapsigargin induces activation of CN activity and confirm inhibition of CN activity by CIP in PAECs. Also, I soc is significantly attenuated in whole-cell patch-clamp studies of PAECs treated with CIP. Finally, PAECs pretreated with CIP exhibit decreased interendothelial cell gap formation in response to thapsigargin-induced SOC entry, as compared to control cells. Taken together, our data show that CN contributes to the phosphorylation status of STIM1, which is important in regulation of endothelial SOC entry and I soc activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey A Vasauskas
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Hairu Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Songwei Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Donna L Cioffi
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
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Ahmetov II, Donnikov AE, Trofimov DY. Actn3 genotype is associated with testosterone levels of athletes. Biol Sport 2014; 31:105-8. [PMID: 24899773 PMCID: PMC4042656 DOI: 10.5604/20831862.1096046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED α-Actinin-3 (ACTN3) has been proposed to regulate skeletal muscle differentiation and hypertrophy through its interaction with the signalling protein calcineurin. Since the inhibition of calcineurin potentiates the production of testosterone, we hypothesized that α-actinin-3 deficiency (predicted from the ACTN3 XX genotype) may influence serum levels of testosterone of athletes. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of ACTN3 gene R577X polymorphism with resting testosterone levels in athletes. METHODS A total of 209 elite Russian athletes from different sports (119 males, 90 females) were genotyped for ACTN3 gene R577X polymorphism by real-time PCR. Resting testosterone was examined in serum of athletes using enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS The mean testosterone levels were significantly higher in both males and females with the ACTN3 R allele than in XX homozygotes (males: RR: 24.9 (5.7), RX: 21.8 (5.5), XX: 18.6 (4.9) ng · mL(-1), P = 0.0071; females: RR: 1.43 (0.6), RX: 1.21 (0.71), XX: 0.79 (0.66) ng · mL(-1), P = 0.0167). CONCLUSIONS We found that the ACTN3 R allele was associated with high levels of testosterone in athletes, and this may explain, in part, the association between the ACTN3 RR genotype, skeletal muscle hypertrophy and power athlete status.
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Affiliation(s)
- I I Ahmetov
- Volga Region State Academy of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism, Sport Technology Education Research Laboratory, Kazan, Russia ; Kazan State Medical University, Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Kazan, Russia
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Homologous and heterologous desensitization of guanylyl cyclase-B signaling in GH3 somatolactotropes. Cell Tissue Res 2013; 355:425-36. [PMID: 24352806 PMCID: PMC3921447 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-013-1763-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2013] [Accepted: 11/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The guanylyl cyclases, GC-A and GC-B, are selective receptors for atrial and C-type natriuretic peptides (ANP and CNP, respectively). In the anterior pituitary, CNP and GC-B are major regulators of cGMP production in gonadotropes and yet mouse models of disrupted CNP and GC-B indicate a potential role in growth hormone secretion. In the current study, we investigate the molecular and pharmacological properties of the CNP/GC-B system in somatotrope lineage cells. Primary rat pituitary and GH3 somatolactotropes expressed functional GC-A and GC-B receptors that had similar EC50 properties in terms of cGMP production. Interestingly, GC-B signaling underwent rapid homologous desensitization in a protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)-dependent manner. Chronic exposure to either CNP or ANP caused a significant down-regulation of both GC-A- and GC-B-dependent cGMP accumulation in a ligand-specific manner. However, this down-regulation was not accompanied by alterations in the sub-cellular localization of these receptors. Heterologous desensitization of GC-B signaling occurred in GH3 cells following exposure to either sphingosine-1-phosphate or thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH). This heterologous desensitization was protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent, as pre-treatment with GF109203X prevented the effect of TRH on CNP/GC-B signaling. Collectively, these data indicate common and distinct properties of particulate guanylyl cyclase receptors in somatotropes and reveal that independent mechanisms of homologous and heterologous desensitization occur involving either PP2A or PKC. Guanylyl cyclase receptors thus represent potential novel therapeutic targets for treating growth-hormone-associated disorders.
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