Objective: To evaluate the expression of DAZAP1 (deleted in azoospermia-associated protein 1) in rat and human ovaries.
Design: Experimental study.
Setting: University hospital.
Patient(s): Twelve corpus luteum (CL) specimens were collected during operation, either by laparoscopic surgery for CL rupture or by laparotomy for benign gynecologic conditions.
Intervention(s): Surgical excision of 12 human CL.
Main outcome measure(s): Proteins analyzed by immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting, and co-immunoprecipitation experiments.
Result(s): DAZAP1 is expressed in rat and human luteal cells. Expression of DAZAP1 decreases with advancing stages of CL. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments show in vivo interaction of DAZ-like (DAZL) protein with DAZAP1 in the ovarian tissues.
Conclusion(s): The expression patterns of DAZAP1 and DAZL are identical within rat and human ovaries. In mammalian species, DAZAP1 may be involved in diverse reproductive functions, ranging from cell cycle regulation and maturation of oocytes to differentiation of luteal cells.