Characterization of Nestin-positive stem Leydig cells as a potential source for the treatment of testicular Leydig cell dysfunction  

作　　者：Mei Hua Jiang Bing Cai Ying Tuo Jiancheng Wang Zhi Jun Zang Xiang'an Tu Yong Gao Zhijian Su Weiqiang Li Guilan Li Min Zhang Jianwei Jiao Zi Wan Chunhua Deng Bruce T Lahn Andy Peng Xiang 

机构地区：[1]Cell-gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China [2]Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education [3]Department of Anatomy, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China [4]Reproductive Medicine Center and Guangdong provincial Key Laborartory of Reproductive Medicine [5]Department of Histopathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University Guang- zhou, Guangdong 510080, China [6]Department of InfertilitY and Sexual Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China [7]Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China [8]Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine of Guangdong Province, Institute of Biomedicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China [9]Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China [10]State key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

出　　处：《Cell Research》2014年第12期1466-1485,共20页细胞研究（英文版）

摘　　要：The ability to identify and isolate lineage-specific stem cells from adult tissues could facilitate cell replacement therapy. Leydig cells （LCs） are the primary source of androgen in the mammalian testis, and the prospective iden- tification of stem Leydig cells （SLCs） may offer new opportunities for treating testosterone deficiency. Here, in a transgenic mouse model expressing GFP driven by the Nestin （Nes） promoter, we observed Nes-GFP~ cells located in the testicular interstitial compartment where SLCs normally reside. We showed that these Nes-GFP~ cells expressed LIFR and PDGFR-e, but not LC lineage markers. We further observed that these cells were capable of clonogenic self-renewal and extensive proliferation in vitro and could differentiate into neural or mesenchymal cell lineages, as well as LCs, with the ability to produce testosterone, under defined conditions. Moreover, when transplanted into the testes of LC-disrupted or aging models, the Nes-GFP＋ cells colonized the interstitium and partially increased testosterone production, and then accelerated meiotic and post-meiotic germ cell recovery. In addition, we further demonstrated that CD51 might be a putative cell surface marker for SLCs, similar with Nestin. Taken together, these results suggest that Nes-GFP~ cells from the testis have the characteristics of SLCs, and our study would shed new light on developing stem cell replacement therapy for testosterone deficiency.

关 键 词：stem Leydig cell NESTIN SELF-RENEWAL MULTIPOTENCY Leydig cell dysfunction 

分 类 号：Q492.4[生物学—生理学] Q51