This laboratory's research focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which hormonally active compounds and environmental pollutants, such as heavy metals, affect epithelial proton secretion in the male reproductive tract. Impairment of epididymal and vas deferens luminal acidification may have profound effects on male fertility. The luminal environment of these organs is tightly regulated and maintained at an acidic pH in order to keep spermatozoa from achieving motility. The vacuolar proton ATPase (V-ATPase), which is also present in kidney epithelial cells, is in part responsible for epididymal luminal acidification. Specifically, the research in this laboratory studies the effects of hormones and heavy metals on V-ATPase expression and trafficking in epididymal clear cells.
Publications
Pastor-Soler NM, Hallows KR, Smolak C, Gong F, Brown D, Breton S. Alkaline pH- and cAMP-induced V-ATPase membrane accumulation is mediated by protein kinase A in epididymal clear cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2008 Feb;294(2):C488-94. Epub 2007 Dec 26.
Pietrement C, Da Silva N, Silberstein C, James M, Marsolais M, Van Hoek A, Brown D, Pastor-Soler N, Ameen N, Laprade R, Ramesh V, Breton S. Role of NHERF1, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, and cAMP in the regulation of aquaporin 9. J Biol Chem. 2008 Feb 1;283(5):2986-96. Epub 2007 Nov 30.
Beaulieu V, Da Silva N, Pastor-Soler N, Brown CR, Smith PJ, Brown D, Breton S. Modulation of the actin cytoskeleton via gelsolin regulates vacuolar H+-ATPase recycling. J Biol Chem. 2005 Mar 4;280(9):8452-63. Epub 2004 Dec 9.
Bouley R, Pastor-Soler N, Cohen O, McLaughlin M, Breton S, Brown D. Stimulation of AQP2 membrane insertion in renal epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo by the cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor sildenafil citrate (Viagra). Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2005 Jun;288(6):F1103-12. Epub 2005 Jan 11.
Pastor-Soler N, Piétrement C, Breton S. Role of acid/base transporters in the male reproductive tract and potential consequences of their malfunction. Physiology (Bethesda). 2005 Dec;20:417-28.
Silberstein C, Bouley R, Huang Y, Fang P, Pastor-Soler N, Brown D, Van Hoek AN. Membrane organization and function of M1 and M23 isoforms of aquaporin-4 in epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2004 Sep;287(3):F501-11. Epub 2004 May 18.
Pastor-Soler N, Beaulieu V, Litvin TN, Da Silva N, Chen Y, Brown D, Buck J, Levin LR, Breton S. Bicarbonate-regulated adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is a sensor that regulates pH-dependent V-ATPase recycling. J Biol Chem. 2003 Dec 5;278(49):49523-9. Epub 2003 Sep 25.
van Balkom BW, van Raak M, Breton S, Pastor-Soler N, Bouley R, van der Sluijs P, Brown D, Deen PM. Hypertonicity is involved in redirecting the aquaporin-2 water channel into the basolateral, instead of the apical, plasma membrane of renal epithelial cells. J Biol Chem. 2003 Jan 10;278(2):1101-7. Epub 2002 Oct 8.
Fisher JS, Pastor-Soler N, Sharpe RM, Breton S. Modulation of the onset of postnatal development of H(+)-ATPase-rich cells by steroid hormones in rat epididymis. Biol Reprod. 2002 Oct;67(4):1106-14.
Pastor-Soler N, Isnard-Bagnis C, Herak-Kramberger C, Sabolic I, Van Hoek A, Brown D, Breton S. Expression of aquaporin 9 in the adult rat epididymal epithelium is modulated by androgens. Biol Reprod. 2002 Jun;66(6):1716-22.
Pastor-Soler N, Bagnis C, Sabolic I, Tyszkowski R, McKee M, Van Hoek A, Breton S, Brown D. Aquaporin 9 expression along the male reproductive tract. Biol Reprod. 2001 Aug;65(2):384-93.
Pastor-Soler N, Schertz EM, Rafi MA, de Gala G, Wenger DA. Metachromatic leukodystrophy among southern Alaskan Eskimos: molecular and genetic studies. J Inherit Metab Dis. 1995;18(3):326-32.
Pastor-Soler N, Rafi MA, Hoffman JD, Hu D, Wenger DA. Metachromatic leukodystrophy in the Navajo Indian population: a splice site mutation in intron 4 of the arylsulfatase A gene. Hum Mutat. 1994;4(3):199-207.
