title: Distribution of microcystin-LR to testis of male Sprague-Dawley rats.
abstract: Microcystins (MCs) are a group of cyclic heptapeptide toxins produced by naturally freshwater cyanobacteria. Among more than 90 identified analogues of microcystins, microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is the most abundant and toxic. Our previous investigations indicated that MC-LR displays male reproductive toxicity, but the target of MC-LR in testes remains unclear. To this end, the present study is designed to elucidate whether microcystin-LR could be distributed to testes and explore the target cells in testes. In the in vivo study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intraperitoneally with MC-LR at a dose of 300 μg/kg per day for 6 days. MC-LR was detected in testes, mainly within seminiferous tubules, which was further validated by Western blot. The concentrations of MC-LR were determined by LC-MS analysis, with a result of 0.0252 ± 0.0037 and 0.0056 ± 0.0012 μg/g dry weight in liver and testis respectively. In the in vitro study, Primary cultured spermatogonia, Sertoli cells and Leydig cells were exposed to MC-LR respectively, and MC-LR was observed to enter spermatogonia and Sertoli cells, but not Leydig cells. These results suggested that the reproductive toxicity of MC-LR were induced by its distribution in testis. Spermatogonia and Sertoli cells are important target cells.
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Medical School, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, 210093, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Lihui
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xueting
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhirong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008387:Marine Toxins; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D052998:Microcystins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D008387:Marine Toxins; D052998:Microcystins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C057862:cyanoginosin LR