Dr. Tremblay is a scientist in the Reproduction, Mother and Child Health axis of the Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec—Laval University, and Full Professor in Laval University’s School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproduction. His research focuses on the study of various facets of Leydig cells, cells that belong to the endocrine system, with applications for disorders of sexual development, hormone-dependent diseases, cell differentiation, as well as the regulation of gene expression.

In 2013, Dr. Tremblay was awarded the prestigious Young Andrologist Award from the American Society of Andrology for his contribution to the field of andrology.

Dr. Tremblay’s research program is at the interface of endocrinology and cellular and molecular biology. His team studies the molecular mechanisms of Leydig cell differentiation and function. Leydig cells are testicular cells involved in the production of the steroid hormone, testosterone. Inadequate levels of steroid hormones are a cause, or at least an aggravating factor, of many human pathologies such as cancers, PCOS, endometriosis, and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In addition to male reproductive health, sufficient testosterone levels are essential for male general health. Understanding how this system works in normal conditions by studying Leydig cells, will provide essential information that will ultimately lead to better diagnoses and treatments for these problems.

Although different hormones and signalling molecules are involved in the differentiation and function of Leydig cells, the transcription factors downstream of these pathways remain unknown. His team has identified various transcription factors, some never reported in Leydig cells, which are essential regulators of cell differentiation in other tissues. Some are found exclusively in the male gonad, while others are present specifically in the adult population of Leydig cells, or are unique markers of Leydig stem cells. In addition, they have demonstrated the presence of the CAMKI kinase in Leydig cells, and its involvement in gene expression following hormonal stimulation. Finally, they have identified the AMPK kinase as the first molecular brake of steroidogenesis, which has many clinical implications. The targets of these two kinases are yet to be identified. Their work on the characterization of the role of these transcription factors and kinases involves classical molecular and cellular biology approaches, as well as gene editing, animal models and proteomic, genomic and bioinformatics.

CHUL
2705, boulevard Laurier
T3-67
Québec, Québec
Canada G1V 4G2
71 entries « 1 of 8 »

de Mattos K, Dumas FO, Campolina-Silva GH, Belleannée C, Viger RS, Tremblay JJ

ERK5 Cooperates With MEF2C to Regulate Nr4a1 Transcription in MA-10 and MLTC-1 Leydig Cells

Journal Article

Endocrinology, 164 (9), 2023.

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Giner XC, Pierre KJ, Robert NM, Tremblay JJ

A 35-bp Conserved Region Is Crucial for Insl3 Promoter Activity in Mouse MA-10 Leydig Cells

Journal Article

Int J Mol Sci, 23 (23), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Pierre KJ, Tremblay JJ

Differential Response of Transcription Factors to Activated Kinases in Steroidogenic and Non-Steroidogenic Cells

Journal Article

Int J Mol Sci, 23 (21), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Demmouche ZB, Tremblay JJ

Comprehensive and Quantitative Analysis of the Changes in Proteomic and Phosphoproteomic Profiles during Stimulation and Repression of Steroidogenesis in MA-10 Leydig Cells

Journal Article

Int J Mol Sci, 23 (21), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Bouchard MF, Picard J, Tremblay JJ, Viger RS

A Short Promoter Region Containing Conserved Regulatory Motifs Is Required for Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein (Star) Gene Expression in the Mouse Testis

Journal Article

Int J Mol Sci, 23 (19), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Mehanovic S, Pierre KJ, Viger RS, Tremblay JJ

Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor type II interacts and functionally cooperates with GATA4 to regulate anti-Müllerian hormone receptor type 2 transcription in mouse MA-10 Leydig cells

Journal Article

Andrology, 10 (7), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Demmouche ZB, Tremblay JJ

The Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Contributes to cAMP-Induced Steroidogenesis in MA-10 Leydig Cells

Journal Article

Endocrines, 3 (3), 2022.

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Moisan V, Brousseau C, Tremblay JJ

Dynamic Expression of the Homeobox Factor PBX1 during Mouse Testis Development

Journal Article

Endocrines, 3 (1), 2022.

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Viger RS, de Mattos K, Tremblay JJ

Insights Into the Roles of GATA Factors in Mammalian Testis Development and the Control of Fetal Testis Gene Expression

Journal Article

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 13 , 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Di-Luoffo M, Pierre KJ, Robert NM, Girard MJ, Tremblay JJ

The nuclear receptors SF1 and COUP-TFII cooperate on the Insl3 promoter in Leydig cells

Journal Article

Reproduction, 164 (2), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

71 entries « 1 of 8 »
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Active projects

  • Defining the role of GATA4 in steroidogenic cells and sex differentiation in males using novel mouse models, from 2023-04-01 to 2028-03-31
  • Probing the origins and crosstalk between the different Leydig cell populations in the mammalian gonad, from 2022-04-01 to 2027-03-31
  • Réseau Québécois en Reproduction (RQR), from 2017-04-01 to 2025-03-31

Recently finished projects

  • Rôle du facteur de transcription GATA4 dans la différenciation sexuelle masculine, from 2022-07-01 to 2023-06-30
Data provided by the Université Laval research projects registery