Pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) expression in the male tract of Wistar rats

TANIA ESTEFANIA SAEZ LANCELLOTTI; NIUBYS CAYADO-GUTIÉRREZ; MARIA ELIS LOPEZ; MARIA ANGELES MONCLUS; TANIA ESTEFANIA SAEZ LANCELLOTTI; NIUBYS CAYADO-GUTIÉRREZ; MARIA ELIS LOPEZ; MARIA ANGELES MONCLUS; MARIA EUGENIA CABRILLANA; ABI KARENINA FUNES; EDITH VINCENTI AMANDA; MIGUEL WALTER FORNES; MARIA EUGENIA CABRILLANA; ABI KARENINA FUNES; EDITH VINCENTI AMANDA; MIGUEL WALTER FORNES; MARIA INES CONTE; LAYLA SIMON; MATIAS GUSTAVO TAGLE-DELGADO; ELISA OLIVIA PIETROBON; MARIA INES CONTE; LAYLA SIMON; MATIAS GUSTAVO TAGLE-DELGADO; ELISA OLIVIA PIETROBON

BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Año: 2018 vol. 504 p. 257 - 262

0006-291X

Pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) expression has been described in many organs as showing neurotrophic,anti-angiogenic, anti-apoptotic, anti inflammatory, anti-oxidant and pro-cell survival properties. However, references to its activity in the male reproductive system are scarce. We aimed to characterize the expression of PEDF in the male reproductive tract of Wistar rats by using RT-PCR, western blot and immunostaining and also evaluate the effect of flutamide in PEDF expression. We found that PEDF is expressedin the epididymis, prostate and seminal vesicles in Wistar rats, but notably not in the testes. Under the effect of flutamide PEDF expression decreased, recovering by suppressing the antiandrogen. The epididymis is an essentialorgan in sperm maturation-storages. The role of PEDF in this physiological process has not been fully elucidated yet, but considering that in other systems PEDF has anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidants and pro-cell survivalproperties, its expression along the epididymis could play a role in the protection of spermatozoa while they are stored.