Abstract
Endothelial lipase (EL) is a recently discovered member of the triglyceride-lipase family that is involved in plasma HDL metabolism. In this study, we investigated the putative role of EL in mouse reproduction by studying EL gene expression in mouse embryos and adult reproductive organs. PCR analysis revealed that EL mRNA is expressed in mouse embryos on embryonic day 8.5 (E8.5) to E11.5, but not later in development. In situ hybridization studies on E10.5 whole embryos and embryonic sections showed expression of EL mRNA in multiple tissues, although of varying intensity. High expression was found in the neuroepithelium of the brain and the neural tube, the mesenchymal cells between organs, the optic lens and cup, and the otocyst. In adult mice, EL mRNA expression was high in ovaries from pregnant mice but low in ovaries from nonpregnant mice. EL mRNA was also highly expressed in placenta and testes. In situ hybridization studies demonstrated intense EL mRNA staining of lutein cells in corpora lutei in ovaries, of spermatocytes in the late pachytene and diplotene stages in testes, and of principal cells in epididymis. These results suggest that EL, in addition to its effects on plasma lipoprotein metabolism, plays a role in murine reproduction.
Highlights
Endothelial lipase (EL) is a recently discovered member of the triglyceride-lipase family that is involved in plasma HDL metabolism
The EL mRNA was seen in multiple tissues, the tissue expression levels were heterogenous (Fig. 3A)
In accordance with the real-time PCR results, EL mRNA expression was absent in most tissues in embryos from E13.5 (Fig. 3E), there was detectable staining of the neuroepithelium of the lateral ventricles in the brain and in the skin over the snout and hind limb
Summary
Endothelial lipase (EL) is a recently discovered member of the triglyceride-lipase family that is involved in plasma HDL metabolism. In situ hybridization studies demonstrated intense EL mRNA staining of lutein cells in corpora lutei in ovaries, of spermatocytes in the late pachytene and diplotene stages in testes, and of principal cells in epididymis These results suggest that EL, in addition to its effects on plasma lipoprotein metabolism, plays a role in murine reproduction.—Lindegaard, M. Endothelial lipase (EL) is a recently discovered member of the triglyceride lipase family, which comprises LPL, pancreatic lipase, and HL These lipases are all capable of releasing free fatty acids from triglycerides and/or phospholipids for cellular uptake. Previous studies on multiple tissues using Northern blotting found that EL mRNA is expressed in placenta, ovaries, and testis [17, 18], but the cellular expression in these tissues was not described One of these studies [17] examined mouse embryos at embryonic day 7 (E7), E11, E15, and E17 and did not detect EL mRNA expression. We have analyzed EL mRNA expression in mouse embryos from E8.5 to E17.5 and report robust expression at a narrow period around E10.5
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