Intrinsic neuron-like cells expressing the catecholamine-biosynthetic enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) have recently been identified in the testis of the prepubertal rhesus monkey.
The aims of this study were to characterize the neuron-like nature of these cells, and to examine the distribution and frequency of testicular neuronal elements during postnatal development, puberty, adulthood and old age. Using immunohistochemistry, nerve fibers and cell bodies immunoreactive for the neuronal markers neurofilament 200 (NF-200) and synaptosomal associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP 25), TH and neuropeptide Y, were identified in perivascular locations, intermingled with interstitial Leydig cells and close to the wall of seminiferous tubules. Moreover, marked age-related differences in the numbers of these neuronal elements became apparent when the NF-200 immunoreactive neuronal elements were quantified. Thus, intrinsic neuron-like cell bodies were found only in the testes fro m immatu re animals (<3 years of age). Conversely, nerve fibers were observed at all ages, although they became more prominent after the pubertal increase in LH and testosterone levels. Interestingly, mast cells, which are known to contain potent regulatory substances, were found in close anatomical proximity to nerve fibers. The number of these cells, positively identified with an antibody to tryptase, increased significantly after puberty following the same developmental pattern as the nerve fibers. These results confirm that the testicular nervous system of the monkey comprises two components, intrinsic nerve cells and extrinsic fibers, both of which are catecholaminergic and peptidergic in nature. Furthermore, both components are highly plastic during development, suggesting a possible participation in the onset of puberty. The intratesticular locations of neuron-like cells and fibers suggest that catecholamines and neuropeptides may have multiple sites of actions, and may affect Leydig cel ls, cells of the tubular wall, and vascular cells directly and/or indirectly via intermediation of mast cells. FUNDING Nonfederal Institutional funds PUBLICATIONS Lue YH, Sinhahikim AP, Machida Y, Mayerhofer A, Urbanski HF, Wang C, Swedloff RS. Accelerated germ cell apoptosis in aging rhesus monkeys. In Endocrine Society Program & Abstracts 80th Annual Meeting (held in New Orleans, LA, June 24-27, 1998), p 381, 1998 (abstract). Frunigieri M, Urbanski HF, Calandra R, Mayerhofer A. Elmentos neuronales testiculares en el mono. Medicina Buenos Aires 58:438, 1998 (abstract).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
Primate Research Center Grants (P51)
Project #
5P51RR000163-43
Application #
6592288
Study Section
Project Start
2002-05-01
Project End
2003-04-30
Budget Start
1997-10-01
Budget End
1998-09-30
Support Year
43
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$111,112
Indirect Cost
Name
Oregon Health and Science University
Department
Type
DUNS #
009584210
City
Portland
State
OR
Country
United States
Zip Code
97239
Okoye, Afam A; Hansen, Scott G; Vaidya, Mukta et al. (2018) Early antiretroviral therapy limits SIV reservoir establishment to delay or prevent post-treatment viral rebound. Nat Med 24:1430-1440
Jensen, Jeffrey T; Hanna, Carol; Mishler, Emily et al. (2018) Effect of menstrual cycle phase and hormonal treatments on evaluation of tubal patency in baboons. J Med Primatol 47:40-45
Toro, C A; Aylwin, C F; Lomniczi, A (2018) Hypothalamic epigenetics driving female puberty. J Neuroendocrinol 30:e12589
Bulgarelli, Daiane L; Ting, Alison Y; Gordon, Brenda J et al. (2018) Development of macaque secondary follicles exposed to neutral red prior to 3-dimensional culture. J Assist Reprod Genet 35:71-79
Prola-Netto, Joao; Woods, Mark; Roberts, Victoria H J et al. (2018) Gadolinium Chelate Safety in Pregnancy: Barely Detectable Gadolinium Levels in the Juvenile Nonhuman Primate after in Utero Exposure. Radiology 286:122-128
Moccetti, Federico; Brown, Eran; Xie, Aris et al. (2018) Myocardial Infarction Produces Sustained Proinflammatory Endothelial Activation in Remote Arteries. J Am Coll Cardiol 72:1015-1026
Blue, Steven W; Winchell, Andrea J; Kaucher, Amy V et al. (2018) Simultaneous quantitation of multiple contraceptive hormones in human serum by LC-MS/MS. Contraception 97:363-369
Jeon, Sookyoung; Li, Qiyao; Rubakhin, Stanislav S et al. (2018) 13C-lutein is differentially distributed in tissues of an adult female rhesus macaque following a single oral administration: a pilot study. Nutr Res :
Slayden, Ov Daniel; Friason, Francis Kathryn E; Bond, Kise Rosen et al. (2018) Hormonal regulation of oviductal glycoprotein 1 (OVGP1; MUC9) in the rhesus macaque cervix. J Med Primatol 47:362-370
Dissen, G A; Adachi, K; Lomniczi, A et al. (2017) Engineering a gene silencing viral construct that targets the cat hypothalamus to induce permanent sterility: An update. Reprod Domest Anim 52 Suppl 2:354-358

Showing the most recent 10 out of 492 publications