title: Injury to the blood-testis barrier after low-dose-rate chronic radiation exposure in mice.
abstract: Exposure to ionising radiation induces male infertility, accompanied by increasing permeability of the blood-testis barrier. However, the effect on male fertility by low-dose-rate chronic radiation has not been investigated. In this study, the effects of low-dose-rate chronic radiation on male mice were investigated by measuring the levels of tight-junction-associated proteins (ZO-1 and occludin-1), Niemann-Pick disease type 2 protein (NPC-2) and antisperm antibody (AsAb) in serum. BALB/c mice were exposed to low-dose-rate radiation (3.49 mGy h(-1)) for total exposures of 0.02 (6 h), 0.17 (2 d) and 1.7 Gy (21 d). Based on histological examination, the diameter and epithelial depth of seminiferous tubules were significantly decreased in 1.7-Gy-irradiated mice. Compared with those of the non-irradiated group, 1.7-Gy-irradiated mice showed significantly decreased ZO-1, occludin-1 and NPC-2 protein levels, accompanied with increased serum AsAb levels. These results suggest potential blood-testis barrier injury and immune infertility in male mice exposed to low-dose-rate chronic radiation.
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Jwadong-gil 40, Gijang-gun, Busan 619-953, South Korea.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Jwadong-gil 40, Gijang-gun, Busan 619-953, South Korea.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Jwadong-gil 40, Gijang-gun, Busan 619-953, South Korea.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Jwadong-gil 40, Gijang-gun, Busan 619-953, South Korea.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Jwadong-gil 40, Gijang-gun, Busan 619-953, South Korea.
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Jwadong-gil 40, Gijang-gun, Busan 619-953, South Korea.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Jwadong-gil 40, Gijang-gun, Busan 619-953, South Korea.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Jwadong-gil 40, Gijang-gun, Busan 619-953, South Korea College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea jskim@dirams.re.kr.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001814:Blood-Testis Barrier / Q000276:immunology / Q000293:injuries* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000528:radiation effects*