title: GnRH agonist induces apoptosis in seminiferous tubules of immature rats: direct gonadal action.
abstract: To investigate direct gonadal effect of buserelin as an agonist of gonadotrophin releasing hormone, the incidence of apoptotic cell death was measured. Thirty 25-day-old immature Wistar male rats were divided into two groups: treated and control rats. Treated rats were given 1.25 mg buserelin acetate/g body weight control rats received vehicle subcutaneously for 5 days. Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded testicles were then investigated for the morphology of seminiferous tubules and occurrence of apoptosis using haematoxylin-eosin staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling respectively. Immaturity of rats was proved by the morphological characteristics of testis. In contrast to the control rats, significant increase of apoptotic cell death was found in buserelin-treated rats. Apart from the well-known pituitary-testicular function of buserelin as an agonist of gonadotrophin releasing hormone, our findings suggest that it induces apoptotic cell death via direct gonadal action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peirouvi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002064:Buserelin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D002064:Buserelin