Differential Distribution of the Tight-Junction-Associated Protein ZO-1 Isoforms α+ and α- in Guinea Pig Sertoli Cells: A Possible Association with F-Actin and G-Actin1

To elucidate the significance of alpha- and alpha+ isoforms of the tight-junction-associated protein ZO-1 in Sertoli cell tight junction regulation, taking into consideration that different isoforms are expressed in cells with different junctional morphologies, we investigated whether alpha- and alpha+ are differentially associated with junctions forming the continuous occluding zonules responsible for the blood-testis barrier, and/or with junctions forming the focal discontinuous occluding zonules. In addition, since Sertoli cells contact Sertoli cells and germ cells, we investigated whether each isoform is differentially associated with distinct classes of germ cells. Our immunoblot analyses of isolated seminiferous tubules, using affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies recognizing rat and human alpha- and alpha+, showed that guinea pig testis contained the two ZO-1 isoforms initially described in rat and human kidneys, and that alpha+ and alpha- were predominantly expressed during puberty and adulthood, respectively, indicating that alpha+ was predominant during periods of increased junction assembly/disassembly. We used the same antibodies and immunoperoxidase labeling on fetal, neonatal, pubertal, and adult guinea pig testes sections. Both isoforms were expressed at the site of Sertoli cell-Sertoli cell and Sertoli cell-germ cell junctions in the seminiferous epithelium, before and after birth, and both were localized in continuous and in discontinuous tight junctions. However, the distribution of alpha- and alpha+ was not the same in different locations of the tight junctions. Only alpha- was incorporated into junctions joining the Sertoli cells to all classes of germ cells. The alpha+ involved junctions joining Sertoli cells to particular classes of germ cells, suggesting that Sertoli cell expression of ZO-1 isoforms could be regulated by unique germ cell-Sertoli cell contacts. Conversely, we found a correspondence between the distribution of F-actin and ZO-1alpha+, indicating that the spatial organization of the subsurface actin accompanying cell junctions may affect alpha+/alpha(-)-plasma membrane association.