title: [Germ cell apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax following testicular torsion/detorsion in rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between germ cell apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in experimental torsed/detorsed testes of the adult male rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into torsion group (n = 15) and control group (n = 15) randomly. Animals were submitted to unilateral 720 testicular torsion, then detorsion were done in two hours. Three days later, the evidence of germ cell apoptosis was detected by the TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique. The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by immunohistochemical method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the torsed testes, the apoptosis index of germ cell and Bax expression significantly increased compared with that in the control group (P < 0.01) while Bcl-2 expression obviously decreased (P < 0.01). The apoptotic cells were mostly pechytene spermatocytes and round spermatides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The germ cell apoptosis is highly associated with expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in experimental testicular torsion. Bcl-2/Bax plays an important role in germ cell apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xin-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Shi-Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Li-Quan
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015870:Gene Expression; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: C494828:Bax protein, rat; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein