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. 2012 Sep 25;70(15):2623–2636. doi: 10.1007/s00018-012-1165-4

Table 1.

Molecular changes in male germ cells after heat stress

Gene Name Function Change Level Heat stress References
Apoptosis-related genes
Fas TNF receptor superfamily member 6 Induction of apoptosis Up mRNA/protein EC, LH [40, 104]
Noa Protein LH [41, 105]
Htra2 HtrA serine peptidase 2 Proteolysis Up mRNA/protein EC [103]
Nos2 Nitric oxide synthase 2 Oxidation–reduction process Up Protein LH [45, 48, 51, 106]
p21 Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A DNA damage response Up mRNA/protein EC, IH [102, 107]
p53 Transformation related protein 53 DNA damage response Up mRNA/protein EC, IH, LH [37, 102, 107]
Acetylation Protein IH [107]
Phlda1 Pleckstrin homology-like domain, family A, member 1 Induction of apoptosis, FasL biosynthetic process Up mRNA/protein EC, LH [104, 108]
Bcl-2 B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 Anti-apoptosis Up Protein LH [41, 44, 105]
Phosphorylation Protein LH [45, 105]
Nr2c1 Nuclear receptor subfamily 2, group C, member 1 Regulation of transcription Down mRNA EC [102]
Noa mRNA LH [37]
Nr2c2 Nuclear receptor subfamily 2, group C, member 2 Regulation of transcription Down mRNA EC, LH [37, 102]
Nr4a1 Nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 1 Regulation of transcription Down mRNA LH [37]
Noa mRNA EC [102]
Bax Bcl-2-associated X protein Apoptotic mitochondrial changes Translocation Protein LH [41, 43, 44, 105]
Cyc Cytochrome c Apoptotic process, electron carrier activity Translocation Protein LH [41, 43, 45, 51, 105]
Diablo Direct inhibitor of apoptosis-binding protein with low pI Induction of apoptosis Translocation Protein LH [43, 47, 105]
Erk Mitogen-activated protein kinase 1/3 Stress-activated MAPK cascade Phosphorylation Protein LH [45, 105]
p38 Mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 Stress-activated MAPK cascade Phosphorylation Protein LH [45, 51, 109]
Rb Retinoblastoma 1 Negative regulation of cell cycle Hypo-phosphorylation Protein EC [102]
Casp2 Caspase 2 Induction of apoptosis Cleavage Protein LH [51]
Casp3 Caspase 3 Induction of apoptosis Cleavage Protein LH [41, 43, 47, 51, 69]
Casp9 Caspase 9 Induction of apoptosis Cleavage Protein LH [41, 43, 47, 51]
Parp1 Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase family, member 1 DNA repair Cleavage Protein LH [41, 47]
Heat shock protein-related genes
Hsp60 (Hspd1) Heat shock protein 1 (chaperonin) Response to unfolded protein Up mRNA/protein LH [117]
Hsp70-1 (Hspa1b) Heat shock protein 1B Response to heat, anti-apoptosis Upb mRNA/protein LH [34]
Hsp70-3 (Hspa1a) Heat shock protein 1A Response to heat, DNA repair Up mRNA/protein IH, LH [34, 114, 115, 118]
Hsp105 (Hsph1) Heat shock 105 kDa/110 kDa protein 1 Response to unfolded protein Upb Protein IH [116]
Translocation Protein EC [116]
Downa mRNA/protein LH [117]
Hsp70-2 (Hspa2) Heat shock protein 2 Male meiosis, response to stress Down mRNA/protein EC, LH [27, 118, 178]
Noa mRNA/protein IH, LH [120, 179]
Hsc70t (Hspa1 l) Heat shock protein 1-like Response to stress Down mRNA LH [118]
Hsf1 Heat shock factor 1 Response to heat, regulation of transcription Down mRNA/protein EC [108]
DNA binding activity Protein IH, LH, EC [115, 119, 120]
Hsf2 Heat shock factor 2 Regulation of transcription Down mRNA/protein EC [108]
Other genes
Capn2 Calpain 2 Proteolysis Up mRNA LH [109]
Ptgs2 Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 Oxidation–reduction process Up mRNA/protein EC [125]
Ucp2 Uncoupling protein 2 Response to superoxide Up Protein LH [124]
Capn11 Calpain 11 Proteolysis Down mRNA LH [109]
Ccnb1 Cyclin B1 Regulation of cell cycle Down Protein EC [127]
Cdk1 Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 Regulation of cell cycle Down Protein EC, LH [127, 129]
Cirp Cold inducible RNA binding protein Stress response, translational regulation Down mRNA/protein IH, LH, EC [59, 180]
Csda Cold shock domain protein A Regulation of transcription Down mRNA/protein IH, LH, EC [181]
Lig3 DNA ligase III DNA repair Down Protein EC [128]
Mta1 Metastasis associated 1 Regulation of transcription Down mRNA/protein IH, LH, EC [107, 182]
Pde4a Phosphodiesterase 4A, cAMP specific Metabolic process Down Protein EC [183]
Polb DNA polymerase beta DNA repair Down mRNA EC [126]
Prm2 Protamine 2 Chromosome condensation Down mRNA EC, LH [181]
Eif2s1 Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2, subunit 1 alpha Regulation of translation Phosphorylation Protein LH [54]

Up up-regulation, No no change, Down down-regulation, EC experimental cryptorchidism, LH local heating, IH in vitro heating

aConflicting results for the same gene

bOther studies suggest that this gene is up-regulated not in germ cells but in somatic cells [104, 120]