title: Exposure to 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol affects testicular morphology and induces spermatogenic cell apoptosis in immature male rats.
abstract: The pollutant 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (PNMC), a major component of diesel exhaust particles, can cause many adverse health problems. In the present study, we investigated the effects of PNMC on the testes of Sprague Dawley rats treated subcutaneously for 5 days with different doses of PNMC (1, 10 or 100mg/kg). Exposure to PNMC caused a significant decrease in the plasma testosterone levels and in the absolute and relative weights of the testes. Severe histological lesions were observed in the testes of PNMC-treated animals. The ratio of the epithelial height to the seminiferous tubule diameter increased markedly in the PNMC-treated rats compared with the corresponding controls. In addition, PNMC exposure significantly increased the number of apoptotic spermatogenic cells compared with the controls whereas a significant decrease in the ratios of Bcl-2/Bax was observed at the same doses. These results suggest that PNMC exerts its gonadotoxicity in the rat mainly via apoptosis.
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
authors: Zhuo
authors: Z
authors: Yue
authors: Ruiping
authors: R
authors: She
authors: Huihui
authors: H
authors: Bao
authors: Wengui
authors: W
authors: Li
authors: Decheng
authors: D
authors: Wang
authors: Jinfeng
authors: J
authors: Zhu
authors: Lingling
authors: L
authors: Chang
authors: Pin
authors: P
authors: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001835:Body Weight; D003408:Cresols / Q000633:toxicity*; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D003408:Cresols; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; C008636:4-nitro-3-cresol; D013739:Testosterone