title: Studies on the mechanism of testicular dysfunction in the early stage of a streptozotocin induced diabetic rat model.
abstract: Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic model has been widely used to study the effects of diabetes mellitus (DM) on male infertility, but it remains unclear whether the responses in this model are due to hyperglycemia or STZ per se. This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of STZ on testicular dysfunction. In the present study, sperm characteristics, serum testosterone, steroidogenic enzymes (StAR and 3β-HSD), and the vimentin apical extension of sertoli cells decreased significantly in the STZ group compared with those in the normal controls (p<0.05), while Johnsen's score, testicular lipid peroxidation, spermatogenic cell apoptosis, and the expressions of NF-κB and Wnt4 significantly increased (p<0.05). Insulin replacement mainly restored the decreased serum testosterone and steroidogenic enzymes, but not other parameters. The results indicated that spermatogenic dysfunction in the early stage of STZ-induced diabetic rats was due to direct STZ cytotoxicity to sertoli cells, which could be regulated by Wnt4 and NF-κB, while steroidogenic dysfunction might be a direct or indirect consequence of insulin deficiency. The results suggested that STZ-induced diabetic model, at least in the early stage, is not suitable to study the diabetes-related spermatogenic dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China; Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital and the Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Yongde
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China; Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital and the Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Hongen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China; Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital and the Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Ruili
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Zhezhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Huixi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China. Electronic address: gaobing@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China. Electronic address: xinzc@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhongcheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013311:Streptozocin; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D013311:Streptozocin
keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Infertility; Male; Model; Streptozotocin