Multifaceted epigenetic regulation of porcine testicular aromatase

• Published in: Molecular and cellular endocrinology 2022-02, Vol.541, p.111526-111526, Article 111526
• Main Authors: Berger, Trish, Vanselow, Jens, Conley, Alan, Almand, Tana Jo, Nitta-Oda, Barbara S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; aromatase; Aromatase - genetics; Aromatase - metabolism; Aromatase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Aromatase regulation; Boar testis; boars; cell proliferation; Cells, Cultured; DNA; DNA methylation; enzyme activity; Epigenesis, Genetic - drug effects; Epigenesis, Genetic - physiology; epigenetics; Estradiol; exons; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental - drug effects; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic - drug effects; Letrozole - pharmacology; Leydig cells; Leydig Cells - drug effects; Leydig Cells - metabolism; Male; puberty; Sertoli cells; Sertoli Cells - drug effects; Sertoli Cells - metabolism; Swine - genetics; Swine - growth & development; Testis - drug effects; Testis - growth & development; Testis - metabolism
• ISSN: 0303-7207; 1872-8057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111526

Testicular aromatase catalyzes the synthesis of estradiol, which contributes to regulation of porcine Sertoli cell proliferation and postpubertal maintenance of Sertoli cell numbers. Although aromatase enzymatic activity decreases with age and is persistently reprogrammed by prepubertal treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole, the molecular bases for regulation have not been identified. DNA methylation was examined as a potential regulatory mechanism using DNA from Leydig cells isolated from 16-, 40-, and 68-week-old boars and from 68- week-old littermates treated with the aromatase inhibitor, letrozole. Methylation levels of individual CpG dinucleotides located in the distal untranslated exon 1 of the relevant aromatase encoding gene, CYP19A3, were quite high in Leydig cell DNA, and increased further with maturity of boar (P