Argonaute2 Protein in Rat Spermatogenic Cells Is Localized to Nuage Structures and LAMP2-Positive Vesicles...

Localization of Argonaute2 (AGO2) protein--an essential component for the processing of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-directed RNA interference (RNAi) in RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) in nuage of rat spermatogenic cells--was evaluated by immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM) and immunoelectron microscopy (IEM). AGO2 was shown, for the first time, to be localized to four previously classified types of nuage: irregularly shaped perinuclear granules (ISPGs), intermitochondrial cement (IMC), satellite bodies (SBs), and chromatoid bodies (CBs). Dual IEM staining for AGO2/Maelstrom (MAEL) protein or AGO2/MIWI protein demonstrated that AGO2 is colocalized with MAEL or MIWI proteins in these types of nuage. Dual IFM and IEM staining of AGO2/lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2) showed that CB in round spermatids are in contact with and surrounded by LAMP2-positive vesicles, whereas nuage in pachytene spermatocytes are not. Taken together, our findings indicate that: (i) AGO2 in pachytene spermatocytes functions in ISPGs, IMC, and SBs; (ii) AGO2 in round spermatids functions in CBs, and that CBs are associated with lysosomal compartments.