Expression of Mucins 1, 2, 5AC and Galectin 3 in Testis Appendix in Children with Cryptorchidism
Itandehui Belem Gallegos
Laboratorio de Genómica, Proteómica y Glicobiología del Cáncer, Centro de Investigación Facultad de Medicina UNAM-UABJO, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma “Benito Juárez” de Oaxaca, Oaxaca (Oax), México.
Karen Rios
Laboratorio de Genómica, Proteómica y Glicobiología del Cáncer, Centro de Investigación Facultad de Medicina UNAM-UABJO, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma “Benito Juárez” de Oaxaca, Oaxaca (Oax), México.
Yared de La Cruz
Laboratorio de Genómica, Proteómica y Glicobiología del Cáncer, Centro de Investigación Facultad de Medicina UNAM-UABJO, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma “Benito Juárez” de Oaxaca, Oaxaca (Oax), México.
Pedro Antonio Hernández *
Laboratorio de Genómica, Proteómica y Glicobiología del Cáncer, Centro de Investigación Facultad de Medicina UNAM-UABJO, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma “Benito Juárez” de Oaxaca, Oaxaca (Oax), México.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In human embryonic development, the primitive sex cords begin to form within the developing testes at approximately the sixth week of gestation. Testes normally descend to the scrotum; cryptorchidism occurs when one or two testes do not descend to scrotum and in some case are accompanied by the appendix testis. The appendix testis is a small sessile or polypoid structure located at the antero superior pole of the testis, adjacent to the head of the epididymis. Mucins 1, 2, 5AC and galectin-3 can be involved in development of testis appendix and cryptorchidism. The present study employed histochemical and immunofluorescence techniques to evaluate the expression patterns of MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC and galectin-3 in the appendix testis of children diagnosed with cryptorchidism. The findings demonstrated that MUC1, MUC2 and MUC5AC, together with galectin-3, were expressed in both the epithelial lining and the stromal components of the appendix testis. Furthermore, immunofluorescence analysis revealed notable colocalisation between MUC1, MUC2 and MUC5AC and galectin-3. These observations suggest that O-linked glycans associated with mucins MUC1, MUC2 and MUC5AC, as well as galectin-3, may represent important molecular components involved in the development and structural characteristics of the appendix testis in children with cryptorchidism.
Keywords: Glycosylation, testis appendix, mucins, galectin-3