Mol. Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on December 10, 2004
Molecular Human Reproduction 2005 11(2):99-106; doi:10.1093/molehr/gah138
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Identification, characterization and biological activity of oxytocin receptor in the developing human penis
1Department of Clinical Physiopathology, Andrology and Endocrinology Unit, 2Department of Anatomy, Histology and Forensic Medicine, 3Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Physiopathology, Interdepartmental Laboratory of Functional and Cellular Pharmacology of Reproduction, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, V.le G. Pieraccini, 6, 50139 Florence Italy. Email: m.maggi{at}dfc.unifi.it
Although abnormalities of the male external genitalia (MEG) are a relatively common problem, little is known concerning the molecular mechanisms that finely regulate penile development. We report here the expression of the oxytocin receptor (OTR) gene by real-time RT–PCR in human fetal tissues (11th–12th week of gestation), including the MEG. The developing penis expressed a very high level of OTR mRNA, only a half log10 unit lower than fetal central nervous system, used as a positive control. The OTR protein is also highly expressed (western, immunohistochemistry and binding studies) and immunolocalized both in the mesenchymal body and in the surrounding blood capillaries, which will later constitute penile trabeculae and sinusoids. Binding studies using [125I]oxytocin antagonist ([125I]OTA) in cultured human fetal penile smooth muscle cells (hfPSMC) revealed the presence of specific OTR with a high capacity and affinity for oxytocin (OT) and for OTA. Increasing concentrations of OT dose-dependently induced intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. Furthermore, OTR mediated an increase in the proliferation and the migration of hfPSMC. In conclusion, we demonstrate that in the developing human MEG, OTR is highly expressed and might be involved in coordinating timely and appropriate proliferation and migration of the penile cells. Thus, OTR might represent an additional target for investigating human fetal MEG organogenesis.
Key words: development/oxytocin receptor/penis/smooth muscle cell
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