Objective To evaluate the effect of sodium nitroprusside(SNP)and N-nitro-l-arginine-mythel-ester (L-NAME) on apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in rats. Methods Fourty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (60-70days) were divided into four groups.Each group was injected intraperitoneally with one of the following agents, once a day, for 12 days: 1. SNP; 2.L-NAME;3.SNL+L-NAME;4.Normal saline NS group.Two hours after the last time injection the rats were sacrificed.TUNEL staining and flow cytometry analysis were used to detect the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells. Results Sub-monoploid and apoptosis index (AI) in SNP group was significantly higher than that of NS group and sub-monoploid and apoptosis index (AI) in L-NAME group were significantly lower than that of NS group by FCM and TUNEL (P0.5) was found.Conclusion SNP can accelerate the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and L-NAME can inhibite the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells,The effect of SNP and L-NAME on apoptosis of spermatogenic cells probably occurs through the action of nitric oxide.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of nitric oxide(NO) on the DNA ploidy of germ cells and to evaluate the role of NO in modulating spermatogenesis by using SNP, a donor of NO and N-nitro-l-arginine-mythel-ester(L-NAME), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthese(NOS) in rats physically in vivo.

METHODSForty adult male, Sprague-Dawley rats (60-70 days) were divided into four groups, and injected ultraperitoneally with one of the following agents (once a day, for 12 days): SNP, L-NAME and SNP + L-NAME with normal saline. Two hours after the last injection the rats were sacrificed. The sera were collected and stored at -70 degrees C for subsequent hormone assay. The concentration of serum testosterone was measured by radioimmunoassay. Serum NOx- (nitrite/nitrate) concentration was measured by Greiss method. DNA of spermatogenic cells was detected by flow cytometry(FCM), and the percentage of 1c, 2c and 4c germ cells calculated.

RESULTSIn the SNP treatment group, the serum concentration of NOx- was higher, testosterone concentration was lower and the number of 1c cells was smaller compared with the control group. However, in rats treated with L-NAME, the concentration of NOx- was significantly lower, testosterone concentration was higher and the number of 1c cells was larger compared with the control group(P < 0.01). No changes were observed in the SNP + L-NAME group.

CONCLUSIONEnhancing ectogenous NO will suppress spermatogenesis while inhibiting NO productive pathway will promote it.

Animals ; DNA ; analysis ; Flow Cytometry ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide ; physiology ; Nitroprusside ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects

OBJECTIVE: To determine the molecular mechanism of germ cell apoptosis via investigating the effect of PFT-α on the expression of p53 and bcl-2/bax during experimental cryptorchid cell apoptosis. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned into 4 groups: a sham-operated group, a cryptorchid group, a cryptorchid+p53 inhibitor (p53 inhibitor-alpha, PFT-α) group, and a cryptorchid+dissolvent of PFT-α [dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO)] group. Unilateral cryptorchidism was surgically induced in the rats of the cryptorchid group, PFT-α group, and cryptorchid+dissolvent of PFT-α group. The rats in the PFT-α group and cryptorchid+dissolvent of PFT-α group were intra-peritoneally injected PFT-α and dissolvent of PFT-α, respectively, once a day. The rats were killed on the 7th day after the surgery. The morphology of spermatogenic epithelium at the side of surgery in the rats was observed under light microscope. The apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in the unilateral cryptorchidism was evaluated by TUNEL and flow cytometry (FCM). The protein expression levels of p53, bcl-2, and Bax were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemical assay in turn. RESULTS: Compared with the cryptorchid groups and the cryptorchid+dissolvent of PFT-α group, the seminiferous epithelium of the cryptorchid+p53 inhibitor group appeared orderly, with thicker cell layers and lower apoptosis index, weak protein expression level of p53/Bax and strong protein expression level of bcl-2. CONCLUSION PFT-α inhibits the germ cell apoptosis caused by the experimental cryptorchidism via increasing the expression of bcl-2 and decreasing the expression of p53 and bax.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Benzothiazoles ; pharmacology ; Cryptorchidism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatogonia ; cytology ; drug effects ; Toluene ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

BACKGROUND:Epigenetics,as an important regulation mode of gene expression network,has been proved to play an important role in the occurrence and development of aortic aneurysm mediated by vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling. OBJECTIVE:To review the epigenetic regulation mechanism underlying vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling during the occurrence and progression of aortic aneurysm. METHODS:Related articles published from 1970 to 2022 were retrieved from PubMed,Web of Science and CNKI databases.The keywords were"Aortic aneurysm,Vascular smooth muscle,Smooth muscle cells,Epigenetic,DNA methylation,Histone modification,Non coding RNA"in English and Chinese.Ultimately,we included 71 articles for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Epigenetic modification can influence the occurrence and progression of aortic aneurysm by targeting vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling and extracellular matrix degradation.Targeted epigenetic modification can play a key role in aortic aneurysm treatment,delaying the disease and improving the prognosis.Epigenetic related enzymes,such as DNA methylesterases and histone-modifying enzymes,can influence the progression of aortic aneurysm by regulating vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling,including cell proliferation,migration and apoptosis,and can be used as targets for drug therapy.The research of epigenetic modification on aortic aneurysm is still in the basic research stage and some epigenetic modification mechanisms have not yet been explored.With the development of medical research,targeted epigenetic modification is expected to achieve new breakthroughs in the treatment of aortic aneurysm and clinical transformation.

Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; Single-Cell Analysis