Expression of nitric oxide synthase during germ cell apoptosis in testis of cynomolgus monkey after testosterone and heat treatment.
This study investigates the possible involvement of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in activating germ cell death in monkeys after mild testicular hyperthermia and/or hormonal deprivation. Groups of 8 adult male monkeys received 1 of the following treatments for 12 weeks: 1) 2 empty Silastic implants, 2) 2 testosterone (T) implants, 3) daily exposure of testes to heat (43 degrees C for 30 minutes) for 2 consecutive days, or 4) 2 T implants plus testicular heat exposure. Testicular biopsies were performed before and on days 3, 8, 28, and 84 of the treatment. In control monkey testes, endothelial NOS (eNOS) was observed mainly in Sertoli cells and spermatogonia. No obvious alteration in eNOS levels was detected in any of the treatment group as assessed by Western blotting. Induction of inducible NOS (iNOS) in testes of the 3 treated groups was detected by immunoblotting as early as day 3 after treatment compared with that of controls. Immunocytochemistry further revealed a small increase in iNOS expression in both germ cells and Sertoli cells after T treatment. However, treatment of heat or heat in combination with T markedly induced iNOS expression in germ cells. These data suggest that iNOS, but not eNOS, may be involved in monkey testicular germ cell death after heat and/or T treatment.
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Da Tun Lu, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China.
Jian
J
Guo
Yue
Y
Jia
Shi-Xin
SX
Tao
Yin-Chuan
YC
Li
Xue-Sen
XS
Zhang
Zhao-Yuan
ZY
Hu
Naomi
N
Chiang
Yan-He
YH
Lue
Amiya P Sinha
AP
Hikim
Ronald S
RS
Swerdloff
Christina
C
Wang
Yi-Xun
YX
Liu
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015870:Gene Expression; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*
D013739:Testosterone; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III