Journal of Andrology
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Published-Ahead-of-Print May 9, 2007, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.106.002204

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Rab4A GTPase - catenin interactions are involved in cell junction dynamics in the testis

Dolores D. Mruk *, Ann S.N. Lau , Oli Sarkar , and Weiliang Xia

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: d-mruk{at}popcbr.rockefeller.edu.

A plethora of evidence has recently accumulated to suggest that Rab GTPases may have functions other than those originally proposed in vesicle formation, movement, docking and fusion. Studies have shown, for example, that Rab proteins interact with actin filaments and microtubules, illustrating cross-talk between intracellular transport and cytoskeletal dynamics. In this report, we show that Rab4A associates with adherens junction signaling proteins in the testis. By immunoprecipitation, Rab4A was found to interact with {alpha}- and {beta}-catenin, as well as with actin, vimentin, {alpha}- and {beta}-tubulin, PKC-{alpha} and -{epsilon}. Additionally, administration of Adjudin to adult rats up-regulated the Rab4A level, which coincided with the loss of spermatocytes, round and elongate spermatids from the seminiferous epithelium. More importantly, Rab4A's ability to associate with {alpha}- and {beta}-catenin increased during Adjudin-induced junction restructuring in the testis, illustrating that Rab4A-catenin interactions are likely involved in the disassembly of Sertoli-germ cell contacts. Taken collectively, these results suggest that Rab4A participates in adherens junction dynamics.


Key words: Testis • Rab GTPases • Sertoli cell • adherens junction • germ cell




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