OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on the expression of Dynein heavy chain (DHC) and Dynactin in the cytoplasm of fetal rat cerebral cortical neurons cultured METHODS: Primary cerebral cortical neurons of fetal rats were cultured RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of DHC and Dynactin among the three groups at all time points ( CONCLUSIONS DEX affects the protein expression of DHC and Dynactin in the fetal rat cerebral cortical neurons cultured
Animals ; Cytoplasm ; Dexamethasone/pharmacology* ; Dynactin Complex/genetics* ; Dyneins ; Neurons ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of dynactin 1 (Dctn1) in the process of mouse spermiogenesis.

METHODSWestern blot and indirect immunofluorescence were used to analyze the expression and location of Dctn1 in the mouse testis and spermatozoa. The highest efficiency of small interference RNA (siRNA) was verified by GC2-spd cell line in vitro and in vivo studies, respectively. Dctn1 siRNA mixed with the indicator (0.4% trypan blue) was injected into the seminiferous tubules of 3-week-old ICR mice through rete testis microinjection, and negative control siRNA injected into the control testes. The normal group included 3-week-old ICR mice that did not receive any treatment. Spermatozoa were collected from the cauda epididymis 3 weeks after siRNA injection for morphological analysis.

RESULTSDctn1 was mainly localized in the tail of spermatozoa. After interference, the sperm tail abnormality in the Dctn1 siRNA group was (23.57 +/- 0.55)%, significantly higher than (12.35 +/- 2.29)% in the control (P < 0.01, n = 3), and it was (3.37 +/- 0.69)% in the normal group.

CONCLUSIONDctn1 plays an important role in mouse spermiogenesis, and mainly affects the formation of the tail of spermatozoa.

Animals ; Dynactin Complex ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Microinjections ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Rete Testis ; metabolism ; Seminiferous Tubules ; metabolism ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; Testis ; metabolism