Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The gene encoding vitamin K-dependent anticoagulant protein C is expressed in human male reproductive tissues

He, X. ; Shen, L. LU ; Bjartell, A. LU ; Malm, J. LU ; Lilja, H. LU orcid and Dahlback, B. LU (1995) In Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry 43(6). p.563-570
Abstract

Protein C is a vitamin K-dependent protein circulating in plasma as a zymogen to an anticoagulant serine protease. After its activation, protein C cleaves and inactivates coagulation factors Va and VIIIa. Human protein C is synthesized in liver and undergoes extensive post-translational modification during its synthesis. Recently, the protein C inhibitor was demonstrated to be synthesized in several organs of the human male reproductive tract. Moreover, vitamin K-dependent protein S, which functions as a co-factor to activated protein C, was found to be synthesized in the Leydig cells of human testis. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the protein C gene is also expressed in the male reproductive system. Specific... (More)

Protein C is a vitamin K-dependent protein circulating in plasma as a zymogen to an anticoagulant serine protease. After its activation, protein C cleaves and inactivates coagulation factors Va and VIIIa. Human protein C is synthesized in liver and undergoes extensive post-translational modification during its synthesis. Recently, the protein C inhibitor was demonstrated to be synthesized in several organs of the human male reproductive tract. Moreover, vitamin K-dependent protein S, which functions as a co-factor to activated protein C, was found to be synthesized in the Leydig cells of human testis. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the protein C gene is also expressed in the male reproductive system. Specific immunostaining of protein C was found in Leydig cells of human testis, in the excretory epithelium of epididymis, and in some epithelial glands of the prostate, whereas no immunostaining was detected in seminal vesicles. Northern blotting and non-radioactive in situ hybridization demonstrated protein C mRNA in Leydig cells, in the excretory epithelium of epididymis, and in some of the epithelial glands of the prostate. The mRNA was distributed perinuclearly and the localization was in accordance with the specific immunostaining for protein C. The epithelium of epididymis was also found to contain both protein S mRNA and immunoreactivity. The demonstration of both protein C and protein S immunoreactivities, as well as their mRNAs, in male reproductive tissues suggests as yet unknown local functions for these proteins.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Blood coagulation, Epididymis, Excretory epithelial cells, Immunocytochemistry, In situ hybridization, Leydig cells, Prostate, Protein C, Protein C inhibitor, Protein S, Seminal vesicle, Testis, Thrombosis
in
Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry
volume
43
issue
6
pages
563 - 570
publisher
Histochemical Society
external identifiers
  • pmid:7769227
  • scopus:0029047930
ISSN
0022-1554
DOI
10.1177/43.6.7769227
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
59fefbff-f1d7-41ba-b753-fca931eb57a7
date added to LUP
2022-12-06 17:10:49
date last changed
2024-01-03 19:32:28
@article{59fefbff-f1d7-41ba-b753-fca931eb57a7,
  abstract     = {{<p>Protein C is a vitamin K-dependent protein circulating in plasma as a zymogen to an anticoagulant serine protease. After its activation, protein C cleaves and inactivates coagulation factors Va and VIIIa. Human protein C is synthesized in liver and undergoes extensive post-translational modification during its synthesis. Recently, the protein C inhibitor was demonstrated to be synthesized in several organs of the human male reproductive tract. Moreover, vitamin K-dependent protein S, which functions as a co-factor to activated protein C, was found to be synthesized in the Leydig cells of human testis. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the protein C gene is also expressed in the male reproductive system. Specific immunostaining of protein C was found in Leydig cells of human testis, in the excretory epithelium of epididymis, and in some epithelial glands of the prostate, whereas no immunostaining was detected in seminal vesicles. Northern blotting and non-radioactive in situ hybridization demonstrated protein C mRNA in Leydig cells, in the excretory epithelium of epididymis, and in some of the epithelial glands of the prostate. The mRNA was distributed perinuclearly and the localization was in accordance with the specific immunostaining for protein C. The epithelium of epididymis was also found to contain both protein S mRNA and immunoreactivity. The demonstration of both protein C and protein S immunoreactivities, as well as their mRNAs, in male reproductive tissues suggests as yet unknown local functions for these proteins.</p>}},
  author       = {{He, X. and Shen, L. and Bjartell, A. and Malm, J. and Lilja, H. and Dahlback, B.}},
  issn         = {{0022-1554}},
  keywords     = {{Blood coagulation; Epididymis; Excretory epithelial cells; Immunocytochemistry; In situ hybridization; Leydig cells; Prostate; Protein C; Protein C inhibitor; Protein S; Seminal vesicle; Testis; Thrombosis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{563--570}},
  publisher    = {{Histochemical Society}},
  series       = {{Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry}},
  title        = {{The gene encoding vitamin K-dependent anticoagulant protein C is expressed in human male reproductive tissues}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/43.6.7769227}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/43.6.7769227}},
  volume       = {{43}},
  year         = {{1995}},
}