Disease relevance of Vas Deferens

• Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is a form of male infertility in which mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene have been identified [1].
• Men with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) have been regarded as presenting a mild form of cystic fibrosis (CF) [2].
• Several P2X receptor subunits were recently cloned; of these, one was cloned from the rat vas deferens (P2X1) and another from pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells differentiated with nerve growth factor (P2X2) [3].
• These peptides bind to opiate receptors with nanomolar affinities and inhibit electrically stimulated contractions of the mouse vas deferens and adenylate cyclase activity of NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cell membranes [4].
• The DDT1 MF2 smooth muscle tumor cell line was derived from an estrogen/androgen-induced leiomyosarcoma that arose in the ductus deferens of a Syrian hamster [5].

Psychiatry related information on Vas Deferens

• Morphine dependence and diabetes. II. Alterations of normorphine potency in the guinea-pig ileum and mouse vas deferens and of ileal morphine dependence by changes in glucose concentration [6].
• Time-response curves for barium and noradrenaline in vas deferens of castrated rat [7].
• Suramin (1-100 microM) and alpha, beta-methylene adenosine 5'-triphosphate (AMPCPP, 39 microM), antagonized the motor activity induced by exogenous adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) but not exogenous noradrenaline (NA) in the longitudinal musculature of prostatic (P) and epididymal (E) segments of the rat vas deferens [8].

High impact information on Vas Deferens

• In P2X1-receptor-deficient mice, contraction of the vas deferens to sympathetic nerve stimulation is reduced by up to 60% and responses to P2X receptor agonists are abolished [9].
• Reduced vas deferens contraction and male infertility in mice lacking P2X1 receptors [9].
• We show here, however, that stimulation of sympathetic nerves innervating the guinea-pig vas deferens releases not only neuronal ATP, but also soluble nucleotidases that break down this ATP to adenosine, indicating that inactivation of ATP is increased by nerve activity [10].
• Effects of nifedipine on electrical and mechanical responses of rat and guinea pig vas deferens [11].
• These observations suggest that there are two populations of receptors for noradrenaline on arterioles, and could explain the paradoxical failure of alpha-antagonists to block neuromuscular transmission at some sutonomic end organs such as the vas deferens, arteries and arterioles [12].

Chemical compound and disease context of Vas Deferens

• The involvement of the five thymidine (5T) variant in intron 8 of the cystic fibrosis membrane regulator (CFTR) gene in congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) phenotype has been extensively demonstrated [13].
• The time course of nerve degeneration over a long period after sympathectomy shows a biphasic effect on histamine levels of the vas deferens [14].
• The present study tested the hypothesis that dithiothreitol or pertussis toxin selectively depress angiotensin responses in the vas deferens [15].
• Hyperthyroidism increased the potency of isoproterenol in right atria, but not in left atria or vas deferens [16].
• CONCLUSIONS: The normal organogenesis of the vas deferens, the presence of secretions filling the lumen of the deltaF508 +/+ fetus and the high proportion of normal ducts reported in prepubertal male cystic fibrosis patients suggest a mechanism of luminal obstruction resulting in duct atrophy and infertility in male adults with cystic fibrosis [17].

Biological context of Vas Deferens

• To address this issue, we transiently expressed CFTR-bearing mutations associated with CF or its milder phenotype, congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens, and determined whether mutant CFTR could regulate outwardly rectifying chloride channels (ORCCs) [18].
• RTA RNA sequences are relatively abundant throughout the gut, vas deferens, uterus, and aorta but are only barely detectable (on Northern blots) in liver, kidney, lung, and salivary gland [19].
• Increased plasma catecholamine concentrations and vas deferens norepinephrine biosynthesis in men with elevated blood pressure [20].
• Membranes of the rat vas deferens were shown to contain a high density of binding sites for [3H] alpha, beta-methylene ATP ([3H] alpha, beta-MeATP), a ligand selective for the P2X purinoceptor [21].
• This enzyme is a new member of the aldo-keto reductase superfamily and shows greatest amino acid sequence identity to mouse fibroblast growth factor-regulated protein and mouse vas deferens protein (92 and 80% sequence identity, respectively) [22].

Anatomical context of Vas Deferens

• P2X1 receptors for ATP are ligand-gated cation channels, present on many excitable cells including vas deferens smooth muscle cells [9].
• Characterization of the androgen receptor from a Syrian hamster ductus deferens tumor cell line (DDT1) [23].
• Considerable numbers of VIP nerve fibres were also seen in the vas deferens and epididymis [24].
• The highest levels of u-PA activity and of u-PA mRNA were found in vas deferens and seminal vesicles [25].
• In contrast, the u-PA activity of sperm cells obtained from testis or from vas deferens was low, although these cells were able to bind added murine u-PA [25].

Associations of Vas Deferens with chemical compounds

• Sodium nitroprusside and other smooth muscle-relaxants increase cyclic GMP levels in rat ductus deferens [26].
• Increases in cyclic GMP levels may not mediate relaxant effects of sodium nitroprusside, verapamil and hydralazine in rat vas deferens [27].
• Arylazido aminopropionyl adenosine triphosphate (ANAPP3), a photoaffinity label, antagonized specifically adenine nucleotide-induced contractions of the guinea pig vas deferens [28].
• Arachidonylethanolamide (anandamide), a candidate endogenous cannabinoid ligand, has recently been isolated from porcine brain and displayed cannabinoid-like binding activity to synaptosomal membrane preparations and mimicked cannabinoid-induced inhibition of the twitch response in isolated murine vas deferens [29].
• In the mouse vas deferens, this peptide is 3 times more potent than [Leu]enkephalin [30].

Gene context of Vas Deferens

• Is congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens a primary form of cystic fibrosis? Analyses of the CFTR gene in 67 patients [31].
• It is more closely related to the AR-like proteins such as mouse vas deferens protein, fibroblast growth factor-regulated protein, and Chinese hamster ovary reductase, with 81, 82, and 83%, respectively, of its amino acid sequence identical to the amino acid sequence of these proteins [32].
• After 3 months of age the vas deferens of the Cftr(-/-) animals could not be identified [33].
• The maximal inhibition of vas deferens contraction by the alpha2 agonist in alpha2A-AR knockout mice was only 42 +/- 9% [34].
• Contrary to previous reports, MVDP was detected in a variety of tissues besides the vas deferens [35].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Vas Deferens

• In the mouse vas deferens bioassay, deltorphin II and cyclic[D-penicillamine2, D-penicillamine5] enkephalin exhibited similar potency to inhibit smooth muscle contraction in both wild-type and MOR -/- mice. delta-Analgesia induced by deltorphin II was slightly diminished in mutant mice, when the tail flick test was used [36].
• Furthermore, by three different techniques, i.e., RNase protection assays, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction Northern blotting, and in situ hybridization histochemistry, the rat alpha 1C-AR mRNA was localized to alpha 1A-AR-rich tissues, such as rat vas deferens, hippocampus, aorta, and submaxillary gland [37].
• The effect of depletion of the noradrenaline content on the response of the mouse vas deferens to electrical stimulation and to tyramine [proceedings] [38].
• Western blotting showed effective cleavage of cellubrevin by tetanus toxin in intact vas deferens, demonstrating that the toxin gained access to cellubrevin [39].
• Orchidectomy decreased and testosterone (T) replacement restored prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentrations in adult rat vas deferens [40].

References