Role of steroidogenic factor 1 and aromatase in temperature-dependent sex determination in the red-eared slider turtle.

Red-eared slider turtles are genetically bipotential for sex determination. In this species, as in many other reptiles, incubation temperature of the egg determines gonadal sex. At higher incubation temperatures females are produced and increasing temperature appears to increase estrogen production in the embryonic brain. Treatment of eggs incubating at a male-producing temperature with exogenous estrogen causes ovaries to form. At a female-biased incubation temperature, prevention of estrogen biosynthesis or administration of nonaromatizable androgens results in the development of testes. In mammals, steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) regulates most genes required for estrogen biosynthesis, including aromatase. In both mammals and red-eared sliders, SF-1 is differentially expressed in males and females during gonadogenesis. We have examined both SF-1 gene expression and aromatase activity in embryos incubating at different temperatures and after manipulation to change the course of gonadal development. Our findings indicate a central role for SF-1 in enacting the effect of estrogen. Estrogen treatment directly or indirectly downregulates SF-1 and, ultimately, causes development of females. The inhibition of estrogen results in upregulation of SF-1 and male hatchlings. Thus, SF-1 may lie at the center of one molecular crossroad in male versus female differentiation of the red-eared slider.     

Germ line control of female sex determination in zebrafish

A major transition during development of the gonad is commitment from an undifferentiated “bi-potential” state to ovary or testis fate. In mammals, the oogonia of the developing ovary are known to be important for folliculogenesis. An additional role in promoting ovary fate or female sex determination has been suggested, however it remains unclear how the germ line might regulate this process. Here we show that the germ line is required for the ovary versus testis fate choice in zebrafish. When the germ line is absent, the gonad adopts testis fate. These germ line deficient testes have normal somatic structures indicating that the germ line influences fate determination of surrounding somatic tissues. In germ line deficient animals the expression of the ovary specific gene cyp19a1a fails to be maintained whereas the testis genes sox9a and amh remain expressed. Furthermore, we observed decreased levels of the ovary specific genes cyp19a1a and foxL2 in germ line deficient animals prior to morphological sex differentiation of the gonad. We propose that the germ line has a common role in female sex determination in fish and mammals. Additionally, we show that testis specification is sufficient for masculinization of the fish pointing to a direct role of hormone signaling from the gonad in directing sex differentiation of non-gonadal tissues.     

SOX9的表达在诱导肝细胞向胰腺干祖样细胞转化中的意义研究

目的:研究SOX9的表达在诱导肝细胞向胰腺干祖样细胞转化过程中的意义.方法:分离培养小鼠原代肝细胞,包装、浓缩表达OCT4的慢病毒并感染肝细胞,使用RT-PCR监测慢病毒感染后肝细胞中SOX9的表达,并根据SOX9表达情况尝试向胰腺干祖样细胞诱导.使用PCR和免疫荧光鉴定生成的胰腺干祖样细胞.结果:肝细胞感染OCT4-慢病毒后,肝细胞内颗粒逐渐释出,细胞折光性增强.SOX9表达从第6d持续至第8d.从SOX9阴性的第4d开始向胰腺诱导,无集落样的胰腺干祖样细胞生成,RT-PCR检测其标志物CK19为阴性;从SOX9阳性的第6d开始向胰腺诱导,可见集落样生长的胰腺干祖样细胞,RT-PCR检测CK19为阳性,免疫荧光染色显示CK19表达在胞浆中.结论:肝细胞向胰腺干祖样细胞转化过程中SOX9的表达提示了“兼性肝细胞”的出现,此细胞具有向胰腺谱系诱导分化的潜能,这为进一步生成有功能的胰岛内分泌细胞和实现糖尿病的细胞替代治疗提供了理论和实验依据.     

转录因子SOX9基因对脑胶质瘤干细胞干性维持的相关性研究

目的:应用慢病毒干扰SOX9的表达,观察其对脑胶质瘤干细胞干性维持的影响。方法:设计2条针对SOX9转录短发夹RNA(sh RNA)的DNA序列,构建慢病毒并感染胶质瘤细胞系U87、U251细胞,利用嘌呤霉素筛选稳转细胞。在转录水平及蛋白水平检测SOX9的沉默效果,利用荧光实时定量PCR(q RT-PCR)及免疫荧光染色检测相应干细胞相关标志分子SOX2、Nestin的表达差异。比较诱导形成的胶质瘤干细胞成球能力(肿瘤干细胞成球的直径),同时利用荧光实时定量PCR(q RT-PCR)及免疫荧光染色对干细胞相关标志物SOX2、Nestin的表达水平进行比较。结果:SOX9成功包装慢病毒并有效感染U87、U251细胞,实时荧光定量PCR检测其抑制率分别可降低83.74%和80.12%。并且在稳转细胞系水平相关干细胞标志分子表达含量有明显下降。在干细胞层面沉默SOX9可以明显抑制胶质瘤细胞诱导成球的直径(P0.01),同时免疫荧光显示肿瘤干细胞相关干性分子SOX2、Nestin的表达水平较对照组明显降低。结论:慢病毒感染沉默SOX9基因可以抑制胶质瘤干细胞干性的维持,为胶质瘤的生物治疗提供了重要的靶点。     

Testicular type Sox9 is not involved in sex determination but might be in the development of testicular structures in the medaka, Oryzias latipes

Testicular type Sox9 is the most upstream conserved gene in the sex determining cascade among vertebrate. However, in medaka, only one Sox9 gene was identified as expressed in the ovary; no other Sox9 gene was reported expressed in the testis. We explored the medaka genome and cloned a novel testicular type Sox9 cDNA. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that both our isolated Sox9 and the already reportedly cloned medaka Sox9 belongs zebrafish Sox9a branch. Therefore, we named our gene Sox9a2. Unexpectedly, Sox9a2 mRNA was expressed in somatic cells surrounding germ cells at similar high levels in both sexes during early gonadal sex differentiation. However, at the initial stage of testicular tubules development, the expression of Sox9a2 was maintained only in XY gonads, and was remarkably reduced in XX gonads. These results suggest that Sox9a2 is not involved in early sex determination and differentiation, but is involved in the later development of testicular tubules in medaka.     

合浦珠母贝SOX9对Prismalin-14基因的调控研究

目的:研究合浦珠母贝转录因子SOX9对Prismalin-14的转录调控机制。方法:应用在线预测软件PROMO分析Prismalin-14的启动子序列,以预测Prismalin-14启动子上可能的转录因子与其结合位点;运用细胞共转染实验和双荧光素酶报告系统以检测SOX9对Prismalin-14启动子的激活作用;构建Prismalin-14启动子截短体的荧光素酶报告载体,并和SOX9的真核载体共转到HEK-293T细胞中,再进行双荧光素酶报告系统检测Prismalin-14启动子的活性;构建SOX9截短体的真核表达载体,并与Prismalin-14启动子的荧光素酶报告载体共转到HEK-293T细胞中,再进行双荧光素酶报告分析Prismalin-14启动子的活性。结果:SOX9能激活Prismalin-14的启动子的活性,并具有剂量效应;对Prismalin-14启动子进行截短后,不包含结合位点的Prismalin-14启动子的活性是野生型Prismalin-14启动子活性的49%,推测Prismalin-14启动子上的-415bp到-405bp区域是SOX9激活作用的关键区域;对SOX9的SRY-related HMG结构域进行截短后,其对Prismalin-14启动子的激活作用显著减少,因此SOX9结构的完整对Prismalin-14启动子活性的激活作用是必须的。结论:Prismalin-14的转录可能受SOX9调控,为进一步研究合浦珠母贝的转录调控机制提供基础,将有助于从分子水平上理解贝壳形成的上游调控机理。     

Cytoplasmic retention of the sex-determining factor SOX9 via the microtubule network

SOX9 is a sex-determining factor which induces Sertoli cell differentiation and subsequent testis cord formation. It is expressed both in male and female undifferentiated gonads in the cytoplasmic compartment of pre-Sertoli cells. At the time of sexual differentiation, SOX9 moves into the nucleus of male pre-Sertoli cells whereas in female, it remains in the cytoplasm and then its expression decreases. To study the cytoplasmic localization of SOX9, we have analyzed its interaction with the cytoskeleton components. By treatment of NT2/D1 and transfected NIH3T3 cell lines and embryonic gonads with nocodazole, a drug depolymerizing the microtubules, we show that cytoplasmic retention of SOX9 requires the integrity of the microtubule network. Using biochemical experiments, we demonstrated that SOX9 is able to interact with microtubules in vitro and in vivo. On the other hand, we observed a complete male-specific reorganization of the microtubule network in epithelial Sertoli cells of the male embryonic gonad at the time of sexual differentiation and testis cord formation.