Urocortins are present in the rat testis

Lee, Soon; Braden, Brian P.; Kang, Sang Soo; Rivier, Catherine

doi:10.1016/j.npep.2010.12.006

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Urocortin 2 (Ucn2) is a member of the CRF peptide family, which acts through binding to CRF type 2 receptor (CRF-R2). Others and we previously demonstrated that Ucn2 is expressed in both the brain and peripheral tissues, including the lung, adrenal, uterus, ovary, and testis (Hsu & Hsueh 2001, Yamauchi et al 2005, Lee et al 2011. It has been reported that expression of Ucn2 mRNA in various tissues is controlled by stress, inflammation, and hypoxia (Tanaka et al 2003, Tao et al 2006, Chang et al 2007, Buhler et al 2009, Imperatore et al 2010, Nemoto et al 2010 and that factors involved in the regulation of Ucn2 mRNA expression are CRF, glucocorticoids, and endotoxins (Chen et al 2003(Chen et al , 2004mechanisms of Ucn2 expression in reproductive organs are not well understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Estrogens downregulate urocortin 2 expression in rat uterus

Watanabe¹,

Nemoto²,

Akira³

et al. 2013

Journal of Endocrinology

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Urocortin 2 (Ucn2) is a member of the corticotropin-releasing factor peptide family and is expressed by various tissues, including reproductive tissues such as the uterus, ovary, and placenta. However, the regulatory mechanisms of Ucn2 expression and the physiological significance of Ucn2 in these tissues remain unclear. We previously showed that passive immunization of immature female rats by i.p. injection of anti-Ucn2 IgG induces earlier onset of puberty. Therefore, this study was designed to clarify the site and regulatory mechanisms of Ucn2 expression in the uterus. Expression levels of Ucn2 mRNA in the uterus were higher in immature (2-and 4-week-old) and aged (17-month-old) rats than in mature (9-week-old) rats in the proestrus phase. In 9-week-old rats, mRNA expression levels and contents in the uterus were lower in the proestrus phase than in the diestrus phase, while plasma Ucn2 concentrations did not differ between the two phases. Ucn2-like immunoreactivitiy was detected in the endometrial gland epithelial cells of the uterus. S.c. injection of estradiol benzoate or an estrogen receptor a (ERa) agonist significantly reduced mRNA expression levels and contents of Ucn2 in the uterus when compared with vehicle-injected ovariectomized rats. By contrast, estradiol benzoate increased Ucn2 mRNA expression levels in the lung. Thus, estrogens downregulate Ucn2 expression in the uterus in a tissue-specific manner, and Ucn2 may play a role in the regulatory mechanisms of maturation of the uterus through ERa and estrous cycle.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Estrogens downregulate urocortin 2 expression in rat uterus

Watanabe¹,

Nemoto²,

Akira³

et al. 2013

Journal of Endocrinology

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“…The biological effects of CRH and UCNs are mediated by two distinct receptors, namely CRH receptor type 1 (CRHR1) and CRH receptor type 2 (CRHR2), respectively, which belong to the G‐protein‐coupled receptor superfamily of brain‐gut neuropeptides (Vita et al, ). Urocortin and its receptors have been shown to be associated with a variety of physiological functions and detected in digestive, cardiovascular, immune, endocrine and genital tracts (De Luca et al, ; Lee, Braden, Kang, & Rivier, ; Oki & Sasano, ; Squillacioti et al, , ; Squillacioti, Luca, Liguori, Paino, & Mirabella, ; Venkatasubramanian, Newby, & Lang, ; Yang et al, ). Specifically, UCN and CRHR expression has been observed in the testis of rat, mouse, human and dog (Lee et al, ; Squillacioti et al, ; Tao et al, ; Tezval et al, ), in the human prostate gland (Arcuri et al, ), and in the epididymis of the rat and alpaca (De Luca et al, ; Liguori et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The biological effects of CRH and UCNs are mediated by two distinct receptors, namely CRH receptor type 1 (CRHR1) and CRH receptor type 2 (CRHR2), respectively, which belong to the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily of brain-gut neuropeptides (Vita et al, 1995). Urocortin and its receptors have been shown to be associated with a variety of physiological functions and detected in digestive, cardiovascular, immune, endocrine and genital tracts (De Luca et al, 2009;Lee, Braden, Kang, & Rivier, 2011;Oki & Sasano, 2004;Squillacioti et al, , 2012Squillacioti, Luca, Liguori, Paino, & Mirabella, 2011;Venkatasubramanian, Newby, & Lang, 2010;Yang et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Specifically, UCN and CRHR expression has been observed in the testis of rat, mouse, human and dog (Lee et al, 2011;Tao et al, 2007;Tezval et al, 2009), in the human prostate gland (Arcuri et al, 2002), and in the epididymis of the rat and alpaca Liguori et al, 2015). Urocortin and CRHRs have been considered to play a role in regulating spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis, sperm motility as well as prostatic and epididymal functions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Urocortinergic system in the epididymis of the normal and cryptorchid dogs

Squillacioti

Pelagalli

Luca

et al. 2019

Reprod Domestic Animals

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Cryptorchidism is associated with changes in the gonads and the spermatic duct system, which may cause infertility problems. Urocortin (UCN) is a corticotrophin‐releasing hormone (CRH)‐related peptide, which affects several functions of male genital organs. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of UCN and its receptors CRHR1 and CRHR2 using immunohistochemistry, western blotting and real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in tissues collected from the epididymis of normal and cryptorchid dogs. The lumen of the cryptic epididymal duct was found to be relatively smaller than that of the normal one, and interstitial tissue was abundant in the cryptic epididymis. In addition, only a few spermatids were observed in the lumen of the epididymal duct. Results showed that UCN, CRHR2 and CRHR1 were expressed in tissues collected from normal and cryptic epididymal ducts. Urocortin‐ and CRHR2‐immunoreactivities (IRs) were detected in the principal cells of the caput, corpus and cauda of the normal and cryptic epididymides. CRHR1‐IR was detected in vascular smooth muscles and fibromuscular cells surrounding epididymal tubules of the normal and cryptorchid dogs. Expression levels of UCN and CRHR2 mRNA were higher in cryptic epididymal ducts than that in normal epididymal ducts. These results suggest that UCN and its receptors might play a role in regulating the maturation and storage of spermatozoa. These findings indicated that the expression of these proteins could be modulated by the cryptorchidism condition.

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“…Members of this family were initially recognised as coordinators of the mammalian stress response. Since then, these peptides as well as their receptors have been identified in many tissues throughout the periphery suggesting a potential involvement in other physiological responses (Fekete and Zorilla 2007, Florio et al, 2004, Kimura et al, 2002, Lee et al, 2011, Kuperman and Chen 2008). In fact, the pancreatic beta cell is one of the most abundant sites of Ucn 3 expression (Li et al, Endo 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CRFR1 activation protects against cytokine-induced β-cell death

Blaabjerg

Christensen

Matsumoto

et al. 2014

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology

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During diabetes development beta cells are exposed to elevated concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines, TNFα and IL-1β which in vitro, induce beta cell death. The class B G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs): Corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1 (CRFR1) and CRFR2 are expressed in pancreatic islets. As downstream signalling by other class B GPCRs can protect against cytokine-induced beta cell apoptosis we evaluated the protective potential of CRFR activation in beta cells in a pro-inflammatory setting. CRFR1/CRFR2 ligands activated AKT and CRFR1 signalling reduced apoptosis in human islets. In rat and mouse insulin secreting cell lines (INS-1 and MIN6) CRFR1 agonists upregulated insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) expression, increased AKT activation, counteracted cytokine-mediated decrease in BAD phosphorylation, and inhibited apoptosis. The anti-apoptotic signalling was dependent on prolonged exposure to CRF family peptides and following PKA activation mediating IRS2 upregulation. This suggests that CRFR signalling counteracts proinflammatory cytokine-mediated apoptotic pathways by upregulation of survival signalling in beta-cells. Interestingly, CRFR signalling also counteracts basal apoptosis in both cultured INS-1 cells and intact human islets.

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Urocortins are present in the rat testis

Cited by 13 publications

References 72 publications

Estrogens downregulate urocortin 2 expression in rat uterus

Estrogens downregulate urocortin 2 expression in rat uterus

Urocortinergic system in the epididymis of the normal and cryptorchid dogs

CRFR1 activation protects against cytokine-induced β-cell death

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