TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterization of the testicular, epididymal and endocrine phenotypes in the Leuven Vdr-deficient mouse model
T2 - Targeting estrogen signalling
AU - Blomberg Jensen, Martin
AU - Lieben, Liesbet
AU - Nielsen, John E
AU - Willems, Ariane
AU - Jørgensen, Anne
AU - Juul, Anders
AU - Toppari, Jorma
AU - Carmeliet, Geert
AU - Rajpert-De Meyts, Ewa
PY - 2013/9/5
Y1 - 2013/9/5
N2 - Vitamin D is a key factor for calcium and bone homeostasis, but signalling through the vitamin D receptor (VDR) seems also to be important for testicular function. To test the functional role of vitamin D signalling we examined the male reproductive system of the Leuven Vdr-ablated (. Vdr-/-) mice, previously established as a model for hereditary vitamin D-resistant rickets. We investigated reproductive hormones, changes in gene expression and histological phenotype of eleven Vdr-/-, eight Vdr+/- and nine Vdr+/+ mice. Testicular and epididymal histology were grossly normal in Vdr-/- mice. Accordingly, no differences were found in serum concentrations of testosterone, estradiol, LH, and FSH or testicular expression of Cyp19a1, Ersα, Cyp17a1, Star, Insl3, Inhbb, and Amh. However, a significantly lower ERβ expression was found in testis of Vdr+/- and Vdr-/- mice, conversely epididymal expressions of ERα and the estrogen-target gene Aqp9 were higher. In conclusion, vitamin D seems dispensable for murine spermatogenesis and sex hormone production, but aberrant estrogen-signalling may elicit some of the VDR-mediated effects on male reproduction.
AB - Vitamin D is a key factor for calcium and bone homeostasis, but signalling through the vitamin D receptor (VDR) seems also to be important for testicular function. To test the functional role of vitamin D signalling we examined the male reproductive system of the Leuven Vdr-ablated (. Vdr-/-) mice, previously established as a model for hereditary vitamin D-resistant rickets. We investigated reproductive hormones, changes in gene expression and histological phenotype of eleven Vdr-/-, eight Vdr+/- and nine Vdr+/+ mice. Testicular and epididymal histology were grossly normal in Vdr-/- mice. Accordingly, no differences were found in serum concentrations of testosterone, estradiol, LH, and FSH or testicular expression of Cyp19a1, Ersα, Cyp17a1, Star, Insl3, Inhbb, and Amh. However, a significantly lower ERβ expression was found in testis of Vdr+/- and Vdr-/- mice, conversely epididymal expressions of ERα and the estrogen-target gene Aqp9 were higher. In conclusion, vitamin D seems dispensable for murine spermatogenesis and sex hormone production, but aberrant estrogen-signalling may elicit some of the VDR-mediated effects on male reproduction.
U2 - 10.1016/j.mce.2013.06.036
DO - 10.1016/j.mce.2013.06.036
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 23850520
SN - 0303-7207
VL - 377
SP - 93
EP - 102
JO - Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
JF - Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
IS - 1-2
ER -