Developmental changes in inhibin-alpha gene expression in the mouse testis

Inhibin is a gonadal hormone which is composed of an alpha-subunit and one of two related beta-subunits (betaA, betaB). Inhibin is important for pituitary FSH regulation, normal follicle development and maintenance of the estrous cycle in the female, whereas the role of inhibin in the male is less clear. Thus, we examined the expression of the inhibin-alpha gene in testis during sexual maturation in male mice, to try to gain insight into its functions in the male. Male mice of the ICR strain attained fertility at 6 weeks of age, and histological analysis revealed that a functional testis was formed, with seminiferous tubules which contain mature sperm and with an abundant population of Leydig cells. Parallel with this sexual maturation, inhibin-alpha subunit protein synthesis increased, whereas synthesis of the activin betaA and activin betaB followed with a delayed time course. Inhibin-alpha mRNA also increased during this critical period, and this corresponded to a change in the methylation status of the inhibin-alpha gene. Taken together, our data reveal that activation of inhibin-alpha gene during testis development correlated with the histological maturation of the testis and the acquisition of fertility in male mice.