Differential regulation of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein and cAMP response element modulator messenger ribonucleic acid transcripts by follicle-stimulating hormone and androgen in the adult rat testis.

Hormonal regulation of the expression of mRNA transcripts for cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and cAMP response element modulator (CREM) during spermatogenesis was studied in the adult rat testis. Northern analysis of CREB and CREM identified two mRNA transcripts for CREM (2.4 and 1.6 kb) and one transcript for CREB (2.0 kb). Analysis of mRNAs from isolated testicular cells by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) showed that CREM mRNAs were expressed by the germ cells but not the Sertoli or interstitial cells, whereas CREB mRNA was located in germ cells, Sertoli cells, and interstitial cells. RNA was isolated and analyzed from the testes of 1) rats treated for 24 h with FSH, 2) rats in which androgen withdrawal had been induced by ethane dimethane sulphonate (EDS) treatment 6 days earlier (EDS-treated), 3) EDS-treated rats supplemented with testosterone (EDS + T), or 4) intratesticular administration or dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) in the preceding 24 h. CREM mRNA transcript expression was found to be decreased after all of these treatments in samples from intact testis and from isolated cells. Expression of the CREB transcript was also decreased by EDS-induced androgen withdrawal, but not by FSH or EDS + T. In situ hybridization of paraffin-embedded testis sections probed with digoxigenin-labeled riboprobes confirmed the localization of CREB and CREM mRNA to the same cell types as found with RT/PCR. No stage-dependent expression of CREM mRNA transcripts could be observed. Hybridization of the CREB probe was highest around the base of stage VII-VIII tubules, and this was shown to be androgen-dependent. The data presented suggest that regulation of the expression of CRE-binding protein mRNAs in Sertoli and germ cells during spermatogenesis is dependent on both androgen and FSH. However, the effects of androgen or FSH on the regulation of CRE-binding protein mRNAs are different.