title: Effects of electromagnetic radiation on morphology and TGF-β3 expression in mouse testicular tissue.
abstract: Exposure to electromagnetic pulses in certain doses may lead to increase in the permeability of the blood testes barrier (BTB) in mice, which in turn affects spermatogenesis, penetration and spermiation. TGF-β3 is a key molecule involved in BTB permeability via regulation of tight junction proteins, and it participates in regulating spermatogenesis, synthesis of steroids and production of the extracellular matrix in testicular tissue. Therefore, it is hypothesized that TGF-β3 plays important roles in electromagnetic pulse (EMP)-induced changes in BTB permeability. In the present study, we carried out whole-body irradiation on mice using EMP of different intensities. No obvious pathological changes or significant increase in apoptosis was detected in testicular tissues after exposure to 100 and 200 pulses of intensity 200kV/m; however, with 400 pulses we observed the degeneration and shrinkage of testicular tissues along with a significant increase in apoptotic rate. Moreover, in the 100- and 200-EMP groups, a non-significant increase in TGF-β3 mRNA and protein expression was observed, whereas in the 400-EMP group a significant increase was observed (P<0.05). These results indicate that increase in the apoptotic rate of testicular tissues and increase in TGF-β3 expression may be one of the mechanisms for EMP-induced increase in BTB permeability in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Changle West Road, Xi'an 710038, China.
authors.forename: Yaning
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Xiaowu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yongbin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shenglong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Guirong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Changhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001814:Blood-Testis Barrier / Q000528:radiation effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D060733:Electromagnetic Radiation; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D062793:Occludin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010539:Permeability; D013737:Testis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
chemical_list: D062793:Occludin; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3
keywords: 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; Apoptosis; BTB; Blood testes barrier; DAPI; ECL; EMP; Electromagnetic pulse; GAPDH; GTEM; Gigahertz Transverse Electromagnetic; H&E; MAPK; PKC; Protein kinase C; RT-PCR; TGF-β3; TUNEL; TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labelling; ZO; blood–testis barrier; cAMP; cyclic adenosine monophosphate; electrochemiluminescence; electromagnetic pulse; glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; hematoxylin and eosin; mitogen-activated protein kinase.; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; transforming growth factor-beta 3; zonula occludens proteins