title: [Hypoxia promotes apoptosis of germ cells in rat testes].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects of hypobaric hypoxia on the apoptosis of germ cells in male rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult 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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seminiferous 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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypoxia promotes apoptosis of testicular germ cells in male rats. Chronic hypoxia increases Bax expression in the rat testis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology and High Altitude Physiology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China. weigong@mail.tmmu.com.cn
authors.forename: Wei-gong
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Yu-qi
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Ming-chun
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: You-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein