title: Immature rat seminal vesicles show histomorphological and ultrastructural alterations following treatment with kisspeptin-10.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Degenerative effects of critical regulators of reproduction, the kisspeptin peptides, on cellular aspects of sexually immature male gonads are known but similar information on accessory sex glands remain elusive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prepubertal laboratory rats were injected kisspeptin-10 at three different dosage concentrations (10 pg, 1 ng and 1 microgram) for a period of continuous 12 days at the rate of two doses per day. Control rats were maintained in parallel. The day following the end of the experimental period, seminal vesicles were removed and processed for light and electron microscopic examination using the standard methods. DNA damage was estimated by DNA ladder assay and DNA fragmentation assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrated cellular degeneration. Epithelial cell height of seminal vesicles decreased significantly at all doses (P < 0.05). Marked decrease in epithelial folds was readily noticeable, while the lumen was dilated. Ultrastructural changes were characterized by dilatation of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex, heterochromatization of nuclei, invagination of nuclear membranes and a decreased number of secretory granules. Percent DNA damage to the seminal vesicle was 19.54 +/- 1.98, 38.06 +/- 2.09 and 58.18 +/- 2.59 at 10 pg, 1 ng and 1 microgram doses respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study reveals that continuous administration of kisspeptin does not lead to an early maturation but instead severe degeneration of sexually immature seminal vesicles.
authors.affiliation: Gomal Centre of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan. faiqah_ramzan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Faiqah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramzan
authors.forename: Irfan Zia
authors.initials: IZ
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramzan
authors.forename: Muhammad Haris
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ramzan
authors.forename: Faiza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramzan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000187:drug effects; D059648:Kisspeptins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D022142:Secretory Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C106628:KISS1 protein, human; D059648:Kisspeptins