This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Baumann, C Articles by Theuring, F Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Baumann, C Articles by Theuring, F

AKR1B7 (mouse vas deferens protein) is dispensable for mouse development and reproductive success

Center for Cardiovascular Research/Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Hessische Strasse 3-4, 10115 Berlin, Germany and ¹ Research Laboratories of Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Muellerstrasse 178, 13342 Berlin, Germany

Correspondence should be addressed to F Theuring; Email: franz.theuring{at}charite.de

AKR1B7 (aldo–keto reductase family 1, member 7; also known as mouse vas deferens protein) is a member of the AKR superfamily, and has been suggested to play a role in detoxifying processes on account of its preferred substrates, 4-hydroxynonenal and isocaproaldehyde. High levels of protein expression were found in the vas deferens and the adrenal gland, where sustained expression is dependent on androgen or ACTH respectively. Recently, a remarkable induction of AKR1B7 expression has been reported in the ovary following exogenous injections of LH. In the present study, we confirm this regulation physiologically during the estrous cycle, observing Akr1b7 expression to be restricted to the theca and stromal cells of the proestrus ovary. To further investigate the role of this detoxifying enzyme in both male and female reproduction, we generated knockout mice deficient in AKR1B7. Although AKR1B7 expression in the vas deferens is considerable and tightly regulated in the ovary of wild-type animals, homozygous mutant animals were found to be viable and no reproductive phenotype was observed. Ovarian follicle maturation and spermatozoa parameters remained normal in the absence of this protein. The determination of serum progesterone revealed an increase in hormone concentration in metestrus, while progesterone was found to be decreased in the estrus phase of the cycle in knockout females.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M.-J. Liu, Y. Takahashi, T. Wada, J. He, J. Gao, Y. Tian, S. Li, and W. Xie The Aldo-Keto Reductase Akr1b7 Gene Is a Common Transcriptional Target of Xenobiotic Receptors Pregnane X Receptor and Constitutive Androstane Receptor Mol. Pharmacol., September 1, 2009; 76(3): 604 - 611. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. D. Vibranovski, L. B. Koerich, and A. B. Carvalho Two New Y-Linked Genes in Drosophila melanogaster Genetics, August 1, 2008; 179(4): 2325 - 2327. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]