Hypoxia promotes apoptosis of germ cells in rat testes.
- Author:
Wei-gong LIAO
1
;
Yu-qi GAO
;
Ming-chun CAI
;
Yi WU
;
Jian HUANG
;
You-ming FAN
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Animals; Apoptosis; Hypoxia; metabolism; pathology; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Male; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Spermatozoa; cytology; Testis; metabolism; pathology; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; biosynthesis
- From: National Journal of Andrology 2007;13(6):487-491
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of hypobaric hypoxia on the apoptosis of germ cells in male rats.
METHODSAdult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: a control group raised at sea level; a 5 d, a 15 d and a 30 d hypoxic group raised in a hypobaric chamber simulating 5000 m altitude for 5 days, 15 days and 30 days respectively. Flow cytometry and TUNEL were used to evaluate the apoptosis of germ cells in the testis. Bax and Bcl-2 in the testis were measured by Western blot.
RESULTSSeminiferous tubules with apoptotic germ cells were significantly more in the hypoxic groups than in the control (P < 0.01). Most apoptotic germ cells were spermatogonia and spermatocytes. Compared with the control group, apoptotic germ cells detected by PI flow cytometry were significantly increased in the hypoxic 15 d and 30 d groups (P < 0.05); Bax was significantly higher (P < 0.05), and so was the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 in the hypoxic 30 d group (P < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONHypoxia promotes apoptosis of testicular germ cells in male rats. Chronic hypoxia increases Bax expression in the rat testis.
