{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,12]],"date-time":"2026-09-12T03:44:21Z","timestamp":1789184661041,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":67,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,30]],"date-time":"2022-05-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1653868800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Ministry of Science and Higher Education to the University Centre of Veterinary Medicine JU-UA, University of Agriculture in Krakow","award":["SUB\/2021-080100-D016"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SUB\/2021-080100-D016"]}]},{"name":"Ministry of Science and Higher Education to the University Centre of Veterinary Medicine JU-UA, University of Agriculture in Krakow","award":["01-11-03-11"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01-11-03-11"]}]},{"name":"National Research Institute of Animal Production","award":["SUB\/2021-080100-D016"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SUB\/2021-080100-D016"]}]},{"name":"National Research Institute of Animal Production","award":["01-11-03-11"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01-11-03-11"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Porker immunocastration against gonadoliberin (GnRH) secretion has been utilized since 2009; however, consumers are still skeptical of it. This is due to not having full information available on the problem of a boar taint, as well as a lack of research on morphological and molecular changes that may occur in the animal reproductive system and other body systems. The present study aimed to explore the functional status of steroidogenic Leydig cells of the testicular interstitial tissue in immunocastrated Polish Landrace pigs. Analyses were performed using Western blot, immunohistochemistry for relaxin (RLN), insulin-like 3 protein (INSL3), pelleted growth factor receptor \u03b1 (PDGFR\u03b1), cytochrome P450scc, 3\u03b2- and 17\u03b2-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (3\u03b2-HSD, 17\u03b2-HSD), cytochrome P450arom, and 5\u03b1-reductase (5\u03b1-RED). Immunoassay ELISA was used to measure the androstenone, testosterone, and estradiol levels in the testis and serum of immunocastrates. We revealed disturbances in the distribution and expression of (i) RLN, indicating an inflammatory reaction in the interstitial tissue; (ii) INSL3 and PDGFR\u03b1, indicating alterations in the differentiation and function of fetal, perinatal, or adult Leydig cell populations; (iii) P450scc, 3\u03b2-HSD, 17\u03b2-HSD, P450arom, and 5\u03b1-RED, indicating disturbances in the sex steroid hormone production and disturbed functional status of Leydig cells; as well as (iv) decreased levels of androstenone, testosterone, and estradiol in testicular tissue and serum, indicating the dedicated action of Improvac to reduce boar taint at both the hypothalamic\u2013hypophysis\u2013gonadal axis and local level (Leydig cells). In summary, our study provides a significant portion of knowledge on the function of Leydig cells after immunocastration, which is also important for the diagnosis and therapy of testis dysfunction due to GnRH action failure and\/or Leydig cell differentiational\u2013functional alterations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms23116120","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,30]],"date-time":"2022-05-30T10:05:14Z","timestamp":1653905114000},"page":"6120","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Leydig Cells in Immunocastrated Polish Landrace Pig Testis: Differentiation Status and Steroid Enzyme Expression Status"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"23","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3945-8639","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Piotr","family":"Pawlicki","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Experimental and Innovative Medicine, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Redzina 1c, 30-248 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2690-1459","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna","family":"Galuszka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal Anatomy and Preclinical Sciences, University Centre of Veterinary Medicine JU-UA, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 24\/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0044-1960","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura","family":"Pardyak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Experimental and Innovative Medicine, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Redzina 1c, 30-248 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6426-5177","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ryszard","family":"Tuz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 24\/28, 30-059, Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5579-5101","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bartosz J.","family":"P\u0142achno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0194-2174","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martyna","family":"Malopolska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pig Breeding, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Krakowska 1, 32-083 Balice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Klaudia","family":"Dubniewicz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases of Animals and Food Hygiene, University Centre of Veterinary Medicine JU-UA, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 24\/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ping","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210009, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6379-996X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Malgorzata","family":"Kotula-Balak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal Anatomy and Preclinical Sciences, University Centre of Veterinary Medicine JU-UA, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 24\/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kazimierz","family":"Tarasiuk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases of Animals and Food Hygiene, University Centre of Veterinary Medicine JU-UA, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 24\/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1333","DOI":"10.1017\/S1751731120000105","article-title":"Genetic determinism of boar taint and relationship with growth traits, meat quality and lesions","volume":"14","author":"Prunier","year":"2020","journal-title":"Animal"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Squires, E.J., Bone, C., and Cameron, J. 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