Immunohistochemical localization of steroidogenic enzymes in the testis of Hokkaido Sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis)

The testes from 15 adult male Hokkaido Sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) were collected during the rutting season (October and November). We investigated the localization of 4 kinds of steroidogenic enzymes (P450scc, 3betaHSD, P450c17 and P450arom) immunohistochemically in these testicular samples. The specific immunoreactivities to these enzymes were detected only in the cytoplasm of Leydig cells. This differs to the enzyme distributions reported previously in Japanese black bear, Japanese raccoon dog, Hokkaido brown bear and American black bear, in which the same immunoreactivities were detected in Leydig cells, Sertoli cells and/or spermatogenic cells. The current study suggests that in the testes of the Hokkaido Sika deer, testosterone and estradiol-17beta may be synthesized in the Leydig cells only.