A Comparative Analysis of Expression of Selected Genes During Induction of Differentiation in Neonatal Rats by Deprival of FSH or by Hyperthyroidism

The effect of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) deprivation, or hyperthyroidism, on the expression of selected genes in Sertoli cells of neonatal rats was compared, and significant differences were revealed. While hyperthyroidism resulted in both arrest of proliferation and expression of differentiation markers, FSH deprivation only resulted in arrest of proliferation, as assessed by a decrease in such proliferation markers as connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and collagen 12A1 and the expression of differentiation markers, such as androgen binding protein, transferrin and clusterin. In Sertoli cells isolated from hyperthyroid rats, a decrease in the expression of FSH receptor was also observed. Microarray analysis of RNA from FSH-deprived or hyperthyroid neonatal rat Sertoli cells suggests that molecular events associated with arrest of proliferation by hyperthyroidism appear to be different from arrest of proliferation by FSH deprivation.