[The reproductive system impairment of adult male rats induced by cocaine].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the reproductive system impairment induced by cocaine in adult male rats and the possible underlying mechanism.


METHODS
Thirty adult male rats were randomly divided into experimental and control groups, with 15 rats in each group. Rats of the experimental group were injected cocaine hydrochloride (15 mg/kg body weight) subcutaneously daily for four weeks. The weight of body and testis, as well as the level of serum hormone of the rats were examined. In addition, the apoptosis rate of testicular tissue by TUNEL and the expression of Fas gene in testicular tissue were examined by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Compared with the control, the weight of testis in the cocaine exposed group decreased significantly (P<0.05), and the serum testosterone level decreased significantly (P<0.05). Moreover, both the apoptosis rate and the expression of Fas gene increased in the testicular tissue of rats in the cocaine exposed group in comparison to the control group (P<0.05). The apoptosis rate was significantly correlated with the expression of Fas gene (r=0.9012, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Cocaine may cause reproductive system injury in adult male rats, and Fas-mediated apoptosis may be one of the functional mechanisms involved in the reproductive system injuried by cocaine.
Jia
Xiao-Di
XD
Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China. jiaxiaodi@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Zhou
Dang-Xia
DX
Song
Tian-Bao
TB
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D008297:Male; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013087:Spermatids / Q000473:pathology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C528558:Daxx protein, rat; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D013739:Testosterone; D003042:Cocaine