title: Mechanisms involved in the blood-testis barrier increased permeability induced by EMP.
abstract: The blood-testis barrier (BTB) plays an important role in male reproductive system. Lots of environmental stimulations can increase the permeability of BTB and then result in antisperm antibody (AsAb) generation, which is a key step in male immune infertility. Here we reported the results of male mice exposed to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) by measuring the expression of tight-junction-associated proteins (ZO-1 and Occludin), vimentin microfilaments, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta3) as well as AsAb level in serum. Male BALB/c mice were sham exposed or exposed to EMP at two different intensities (200kV/m and 400kV/m) for 200 pulses. The testes were collected at different time points after EMP exposure. Immunofluorescence histocytochemistry, western blotting, laser confocal microscopy and RT-PCR were used in this study. Compared with sham group, the expression of ZO-1 and TGF-beta3 significantly decreased accompanied with unevenly stained vimentin microfilaments and increased serum AsAb levels in EMP-exposed mice. These results suggest a potential BTB injury and immune infertility in male mice exposed to a certain intensity of EMP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Medicine, Faculty of Preventive Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Wu
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gui-Rong
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Chang-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Jun-Ye
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yong-Bin
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guo-Zhen
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001814:Blood-Testis Barrier / Q000378:metabolism*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D062793:Occludin; D010539:Permeability; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology; D019108:Tight Junctions; D013997:Time Factors; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3 / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D062793:Occludin; C568986:Ocln protein, mouse; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C569043:Tjp1 protein, mouse; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3; D014746:Vimentin; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein