The binding and apoptosis inhibitory action to germ cells of relaxin-like peptide expressed in the boar testis

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24580408
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied animal science
• Research Institution: Shizuoka University
• Principal Investigator: KOHSAKA Tetsuya 静岡大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 教授 (10186611)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: relaxin / INSL3 / LGR8 / INSL3 / germ cells / Apoptosis / testis

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study succeeded in developing a reliable immunoassay for measuring boar relaxin (RXN)-like peptide using a TR-FIA platform and demonstrated that circulating RXN-like peptide concentrations increased progressively in boar during sexual development. Additionally, RXN-like peptide secreted from Leydig cells showed to be transported into the seminiferous compartments at sufficient concentrations. RXN-like peptide revealed to bind with high affinity to, and activates its specific receptor, 85 kDa LGR8/RXFP2, which is expressed in boar meiotic and postmeiotic germ cells. Furthermore, the present study demonstrated that neutralization of RXN-like peptide led to increased germ cell apoptosis and substantially reduced sperm concentration, suggesting that RXN-like peptide functions as a germ cell anti-apoptotic factor in maintaining sperm production.

Free Research Field

動物生殖生理学