Involvement of the Fas and Fas ligand in testicular germ cell apoptosis by zearalenone in rat.
10.4142/jvs.2010.11.2.115
- Author:
Youngheun JEE
1
;
Eun Mi NOH
;
Eun Sang CHO
;
Hwa Young SON
Author Information
1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju 690-756, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
apoptosis;
estrogen receptor;
Fas ligand;
testis;
zearalenone
- MeSH:
Animals;
Antigens, CD95/*immunology;
Apoptosis/*drug effects/immunology;
Estrogens, Non-Steroidal/*toxicity;
Fas Ligand Protein/*immunology;
Histocytochemistry;
Immunoblotting;
In Situ Nick-End Labeling;
Male;
Random Allocation;
Rats;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley;
Spermatocytes/cytology/*drug effects/immunology;
Spermatogenesis/drug effects/immunology;
Spermatogonia/drug effects/immunology;
Testis/cytology/*drug effects/immunology;
Zearalenone/*toxicity
- From:Journal of Veterinary Science
2010;11(2):115-119
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Zearalenone (ZEA), a nonsteroidal estrogenic mycotoxin, is known to cause testicular toxicity in animals. In the present study, the effects of ZEA on spermatogenesis and possible mechanisms involved in germ cell injury were examined in rats. Ten-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 5 mg/kg i.p. of ZEA and euthanized 3, 6, 12, 24 or 48 h after treatment. Histopathologically, spermatogonia and spermatocytes were found to be affected selectively. They were TUNEL-positive and found to be primarily in spermatogenic stages I-VI tubules from 6 h after dosing, increasing gradually until 12 h and then gradually decreasing. Western blot analysis revealed an increase in Fas and Fas ligand (Fas-L) protein levels in the ZEA-treated rats. However, the estrogen receptor (ER)alpha expression was not changed during the study. Collectively, our data suggest that acute exposure of ZEA induces apoptosis in germ cells of male rats and that this toxicity of ZEA is partially mediated through modulation of Fas and Fas-L systems, though ERalpha may not play a significant role.
