| First Author | Nakamoto T | Year | 2004 |
| Journal | Genes Cells | Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 6 | Pages | 575-89 |
| PubMed ID | 15189450 | Mgi Jnum | J:96747 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3531374 | Doi | 10.1111/j.1356-9597.2004.00746.x |
| Citation | Nakamoto T, et al. (2004) Impaired spermatogenesis and male fertility defects in CIZ/Nmp4-disrupted mice. Genes Cells 9(6):575-89 |
| abstractText | CIZ (Cas interacting zinc finger protein), also called Nmp4 (nuclear matrix protein 4), is a nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling transcription factor that regulates the expression of collagen and matrix metalloproteinases. CIZ/Nmp4 was originally cloned by its binding to p130(Cas), a focal adhesion protein, and was recently shown to suppress BMP2 (bone mophogenetic protein 2) signalling. To explore the physiological role of CIZ/Nmp4, we disrupted CIZ/Nmp4-gene by inserting beta-galactosidase and neomycin resistance genes into the 2nd exon of CIZ/Nmp4-gene, which is utilized by all the sequenced alternative forms. CIZ-/- mice were born and grew to adulthood. Although they tend to be smaller than wild-type mice, no pathological abnormality was observed except in the testis. Histological analysis of the testes revealed variable degrees of spermatogenic cell degeneration within the seminiferous tubules of CIZ-/- mice, resembling the histology of the 'Germinal-cell aplasia with focal spermatogenesis'. Some of the CIZ-/- male mice developed infertility. TUNEL assay on testis sections revealed an increased occurrence of apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in the testes of CIZ-/- mice. CIZ/Nmp4 was co-localized with Smad1 in the testis, suggesting that a disregulation of BMP signalling could cause these phenotypes. These results suggest that CIZ/Nmp4 plays roles in the progress and the maintenance of spermatogenesis. |
