title: The response of adult rat sertoli cells, immortalized by a temperature-sensitive mutant of SV40, to 1,2-dinitrobenzene, 1,3-dinitrobenzene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, 3,4-dinitrotoluene, and cadmium.
abstract: In this study we test the hypothesis that immortalized adult rat Sertoli cells respond to known testicular toxins in a similar manner to Sertoli cells tested in vivo and in primary culture. This cell line was developed by immortalizing adult rat Sertoli cells with the temperature-sensitive mutant of SV40, ts255, such that the cells proliferate at the permissive temperature of 33 degrees C but express differentiated characteristics at the nonpermissive temperature of 40 degrees C. Confluent monolayers, grown at 33 degrees C or 40 degrees C, were exposed to a range of concentrations of dinitrobenzene (DNB) or dinitrotoluene (DNT) isomers or to cadmium chloride. Cellular response was assessed by neutral-red cell viability assay and ultrastructural changes. Cells grown at 40 degrees C were sensitive to lower concentrations of each toxicant than were cells grown at 33 degrees C. 1,2-DNB was more toxic than 1,3-DNB, and 3,4-DNT was more toxic than 2,4-DNT, as judged by the neutral-red cell viability assay. Ultrastructurally, cells treated with 1,2-DNB or 2,4-DNT showed increased numbers of autophagic vesicles compared to controls. Intercellular penetration of ruthenium red demonstrated breached tight junctions in 1,2-DNB and cadmium-treated cells. From these observations, we conclude that this cell line can serve as a model for studying toxic mechanisms in adult Sertoli cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0616, USA. dsoren@umich.edu
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Sorenson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brabec
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000235:genetics; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D004136:Dinitrobenzenes; C040234:1,2-dinitrobenzene; C062614:3,4-dinitrotoluene; C016403:2,4-dinitrotoluene; C017906:3-dinitrobenzene; D019256:Cadmium Chloride