PLX142809

GSE141071: Differential tissue-specific damage caused by bacterial epididymo-orchitis in the mouse.

• Organsim mouse
• Type RNASEQ
• Target gene
• Project ARCHS4

This study investigated the differential responses of the epididymis and testis to infection with uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) in adult mice. In contrast to the cauda epididymidis, which exhibited ongoing damage following UPEC-infection, spermatogenic disruption was reversible and the caput epididymidis was largely unaffected. The caput epididymidis is structurally and functionally very different from the cauda, whereas beta-defensins as important epididymal antimicrobial factors are highly expressed in both tissues. The transcriptome of the testis, caput, corpus and cauda epididymidis were analysed in normal, wildtype C57BL/6J mice. Distinct differences in gene signatures were observed between caput and cauda epididymidis, particularly among immune-related genes, whereas corpus and cauda were much more alike. Beta-defensins were found at high levels in both caput and cauda epididymidis, whereas other antimicrobial factors, such as Lipocalin 2 and Lypd8 were found expressed selectively high in the caput epididymidis and hence may play an important role in local protection from bacterial pathogens, including UPEC. SOURCE: Stefan Günther (stefan.guenther@mpi-bn.mpg.de) - MPI for heart and lung research