Disappearance of vimentin in Sertoli cells: a mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate effect.
The effects of mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) on 21-day-old C57Bl/6N mice and their Sertoli cell cultures were studied. Mice were given a single dose of 800 mg/kg MEHP by oral gavage and sacrificed 24 h later. At the same time, testes were harvested from another batch of mice for Sertoli cell cultures. Cultures were subsequently exposed to 0, 1, and 100 nmol/ml MEHP for 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h. An antivimentin antibody was used to detect intermediate filament changes in Sertoli cells. Meanwhile, detection of preapoptotic signals and presence of apoptotic cells were done using annexin V-FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate) and TUNEL (deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling) analyses, respectively. In vivo results showed a correlation between the increase in TUNEL-positive cells and the vimentin disruption in treated mice. Toluidine blue staining of the Sertoli cell cultures showed the increased number and size of vacuoles in Sertoli cell cytoplasm. Vimentin immunohistochemistry showed gradual disappearance of vimentin in Sertoli cell cultures as time and dose increased. Some Sertoli cells were found to be annexin V-FITC positive, but no TUNEL-positive cells were found. Taken together, these results show that the appearance of vacuoles and the vimentin disappearance caused by MEHP in the Sertoli cells are related with each other and can be observed in relation to time. This can be used as an indicator of the loss of mechanical support for spermatogenic cells, which in the end causes apoptosis of spermatogenic cells.
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Tat Wei
TW
Tay
Bibin Bintang
BB
Andriana
Maki
M
Ishii
Naoki
N
Tsunekawa
Yoshiakira
Y
Kanai
Masamichi
M
Kurohmaru
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000032:analysis; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000032:analysis; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism*
D017304:Annexin A5; D014746:Vimentin; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate; C016599:mono-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate