title: [Lipopolysaccharide affects testicular histology and reproductive endocrine function in male rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the influence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation on the testicular histology and reproductive endocrine function in male rats and investigate the possible mechanism of inflammation affecting male fertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (A) and three LPS intervention groups (B, C, and D) to receive saline and LPS (5 mg/kg i. p, once), respectively. The animals in groups B, C, and D were killed by anesthesia at 12, 24, and 72 hours after treatment. Histopathological changes in the left testis of the rats were observed by HE staining and the levels of the reproductive hormones T, FSH, and LH in the serum were determined by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with group B, group A showed clear structure of seminiferous tubules, orderly arrangement of spermatogenic cells, a slightly decreased number of sperm in some seminiferous tubular lumens, and shed spermatogenic cells in the rat testis tissue; group C exhibited thinner seminiferous epithelia, disordered structure of seminiferous tubules, irregular arrangement of spermatogenic cells, decreased number of mature sperm and obvious shedding of spermatogenic cells in seminiferous tubular lumens; group D manifested similar findings to those of group C, with even more shed spermatogenic cells that blocked the tubular lumens. The levels of serum T, LH, and FSH were (0.490 +/- 0.028) ng/ml, (6.290 +/- 0.515) ng/L, and (1.837 +/- 0.127) IU/L in group A, (0.460 +/- 0.024) ng/ml, (5.881 +/- 0.124) ng/L, and (1.707 +/- 0.098) IU/L in group B, (0.417 +/- 0.021) ng/ml, (5.123 +/- 0.271) ng/L, and (1.620 +/- 0.115) IU/L in group C, and (0.378 +/- 0.021) ng/ml, (4.504 +/- 0.279) ng/L and (1.562 +/- 0.216) IU/L in group D, all decreased in group B as compared with A (P > 0.05). The decreases of T and LH were extremely significant (P < 0.01) and that of FSH was significant in groups C and D (P < 0.05) in comparison with A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LPS-induced inflammation affects the testicular tissue and reproductive endocrine function of male rats, resulting in decreased levels of serum T, LH, and FSH.
authors.forename: Xu-Xin
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Yu-An
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xing-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Qing
authors.forename: Dun-Sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Hong-Cai
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Xue-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D012098:Reproduction; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone