The androgen-dependent mouse seminal vesicle secretory protein of 99 amino acids (MSVSP99): Regulation of the mRNA and preliminary characterization of the promoter

MSVSP99 (mouse seminal vesicle secretory protein of 99 amino acids) is a member of the rat and mouse seminal vesicle secretory protein (SVS) family. In order to characterize its androgenic regulation, the cloned cDNA and gene encoding MSVSPBB have been used. At adulthood, the MSVSP99 mRNA represents from 3 to 7% of the total mRNA population. This mRNA accumulation is under androgenic control because it is abolished by castration and restored in castrated mice by heptylate testosterone injection. During ontogenesis, MSVSP99 mRNA is just detectable in 10-day-old mice, and reaches adult levels at 30 days. Neonatal castration abolishes MSVSP99 mRNA accumulation in 20-day-old mice. Transcription elongation assays show that androgens act mainly on the MSVSP9B gene transcription. In an attempt to obtain information about the mechanism of androgen action on transcription, preliminary transient transfection experiments in CV-1 cells permitted us to define a promoter region (-387/ + 16), the activity of which is enhanced by dihydrotestosterone. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.