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. 2024 Aug 9;27(1):44–51. doi: 10.4103/aja202449

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Expression of Smoc1 and corresponding protein and SMOC1 immunohistochemical staining in the gubernacular tissues from Lhcgr KO (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. The expression of Smoc1 was measured by real-time RT-PCR. The relative mRNA levels of Smoc1 were calculated using the comparative 2-ΔΔCt method with Gapdh as an internal control. Western blot assays were conducted to assessed SMOC1 protein expression. The relative protein levels of SMOC1 were determined using intensity-based quantification with β-actin as a reference control. (a) Consistent with microarray data, real-time RT-PCR shows that Smoc1 mRNA levels are decreased in KO mice. Treatment with testosterone propionate (T) increases Smoc1 mRNA levels in KO mice compared to KO mice given sesame oil. (b) Western blot assays reveal that T-treatment significantly increases SMOC1 protein levels in the gubernacular tissues. (c) Representative immunostaining pictures of the gubernacular cremaster muscle for WT, KO, and treatment with T (T/KO). Immunostaining indicates the presence of SMOC1 in the cremaster muscle. The immunostaining intensity of SMOC1 is diminished in KO mice compared to WT, while T-treatment increases SMOC1 in KO mice. Scale bars = 50 μm; n = 3; *P < 0.05, KO compared to WT. Smoc1: secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine-related modular calcium binding 1; Lhcgr KO: luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor knockout; WT: wild-type; RT-PCR: reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; Gapdh: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.