Expression Of Ets Transcription Factors Pea3, ER81 And ERM In Mouse Testis

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are primordial spermatogonia resided on the base membrane of the seminiferous tubules in testes and being capable of self-renewal and differentiation. SSCs self-renew and differentiate throughout adult life to maintain male spermatogenesis. Due to their unique biological properties, investigations on SSCs are significantly important in stem cell biology, basic medicine, as well as animal science and husbandry. The development of stem cell is regulated by the external environment and its specific internal control factors. In recent years, the impact of the SSCs external microenvironment, SSC niche (mainly containing of Sertoli cells), on their self-renewal and differentiation has garnered a tremendous amount of attention. Recently, transcription factor Ets-related molecule (ERM) has been reported to play an important regulatory role on SSCs behavior. Since Pea3, ER81 as well as ERM belong to the same subfamily of Ets transcription fators, and homology, similar function and expressed in a variety of tissues, we therefore hypothesize that Pea3, ER81 are also expressed in mouse testicular tissue and involved in the regulation of SSCs self-renewal and differentiation.By reviewing related literature, we identified seven factors of the Ets transcription factor family may be expressed in mouse testis. According to the process of mouse spermatogenesis, we established the expression time of Pea3, ER81 and ERM in mouse testis tissues subsequently. Furthmore, the mRNA expression levels of ERM, ER81 and Pea3 in 5-day-old, 7-week-old, 16-week-old and 10-month-old mouse testis tissue were determined by fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR, which provided a solid foundation for the next step to ask the exact expression location of these factors in mouse seminiferous epithelium and their relationship with SSCs self-renewal and differentiation.According to the gene sequences of ERM, ER81, Pea3, Elk1, Ets1, Ets2 and Erg,specific primers and probes of ERM, ER81, Pea3 were designed, and ERM, ER81 and Pea3 mRNA levels in mice testicular tissue at different ages carried out by using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The results showed that the mRNA of seven Ets family transcription factors were expressed in mouse testicular tissue. Pea3, ER81, ERM mRNA started to express at day 1 postnatally. The results of fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that: the high-level expression of ERM mRNA appeared at 7-week-old mouse testis tissues, which was increased significantly (P<0.01) compared with the other three ages; the expressions of ER81 mRNA in mouse testis tissue of 7-week-old and 10-month-old were increased significantly (p<0.05) compared with the other two periods; relatively, the expression of Pea3 mRNA was low in all selected ages, however, its high-level expression relatively in four ages was found in 7-week-old mouse testis tissues, which was significant increased (P<0.01) compared with others. The experimental results of the ERM were consistant with the previous data, while the exact location of ER81 and Pea3 factors in mouse seminiferous epithelium and their relationship with the self-renewal and differentiation of SSCs still need to be addressed in next step.