title: Formaldehyde exposure inhibits the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin in rat testis.
abstract: Formaldehyde (FA), a ubiquitous environmental pollutant, has long been suspected of causing adverse male reproductive effects. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. The overall aim of this study is to clarify the role of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in male reproductive injuries induced by FA exposure, by which we can further understand the molecular mechanism of FA male reproductive toxicity. In this study, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis were used to detect the expression of mTOR molecule in testicular tissues. We found that FA exposure inhibits the expression of mTOR in a dose-dependent manner. Combined with our earlier finding, we found the decreasing expression of mTOR in testicular tissue were consistent with the changes of testicular structure and autophagy levels. In summary, our data suggested that mTOR molecule might be involved in male reproductive injuries induced by FA exposure.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.|2 Department of Pathology, Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.|3 Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Oncology, The People's Hospital of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Hui
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kangfu Hospital of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Pathology, Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.|3 Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Mo-Qi
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Pathology, Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.|3 Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Li-Zhi
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Pathology, Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.|3 Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Liang-Zhi
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Pathology, Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.|3 Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Dang-Xia
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Zhou
keywords: Formaldehyde; mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR); reproductive toxicity; testis