PURPOSE: This study investigated the
role of
natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (NPR2) on
cell proliferation and
testosterone secretion in
mouse Leydig cells . MATERIALS AND
METHODS: Mouse testis of different postnatal stages was isolated to detect the expression
C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) and its receptor NPR2 by quantitative
reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
Leydig cells isolated from
mouse testis were cultured and treated with shNPR2
lentiviruses or CNP. And then the cyclic
guanosine monophosphate production ,
testosterone secretion ,
cell proliferation ,
cell cycle and
cell apoptosis in
mouse Leydig cells were analyzed by
ELISA , RT-qPCR,
Cell Counting Kit-8, and
flow cytometry . Moreover, the expression of NPR2,
cell cycle ,
apoptosis proliferation and
cell cycle related
gene were detected by RT-qPCR and
Western blot .
RESULTS: Knockdown of NPR2 by
RNAi resulted in
S phase cell cycle arrest ,
cell apoptosis , and decreased
testosterone secretion in
mouse Leydig cells .
CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides more evidences to better understand the function of CNP/NPR2 pathway in
male reproduction , which may help us to treat
male infertility .