title: Streptozotocin-induced diabetes increases apoptosis through JNK phosphorylation and Bax activation in rat testes.
abstract: Diabetic disease is known to suppress male reproductive activity in laboratory animals and humans. The present study was designed to evaluate whether streptozotocin-induced diabetes increases apoptotic cell death in rat testes through activation of the JNK and Bax pathway. Diabetes was induced by a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) and testis samples were collected after 3 months. Compared with controls, body weight and testicular weight were lower in the diabetic group, and the apoptotic index in testicular germ cells was significantly increased. Expression of phospho-JNK and Bax was significantly increased in the diabetic group, and the level of activated caspase-3 was also increased, compared to that of controls. Our findings suggest that streptozotocin-induced diabetes increases apoptotic cell death in rat testes through phosphorylation of JNK and activation of Bax.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, 900 Gajwa-dong, Jinju 660-701, South Korea. pokoh@gsnu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Phil-Ok
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Koh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4