title: [Tea polyphenols reduces the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in rats with experimental varicocele].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of tea polyphenols (TP) on the apoptosis of germ cells in rats with experimental varicocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two adolescent male Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into groups A (sham-operation), B (high-dose TP), C (low-dose TP), and D (experimental left varicocele). Experimental varicocele was induced by partial ligation of the left renal vein in the latter three groups of rats. The animals in groups A and D were fed with normal saline, while those in B and C with TP at 40 and 10 mg per kg per d, respectively, all for 4 weeks. Then, all the rats were sacrificed and the left testes harvested for determination of the expression of HIF-1, Bcl-2, Bax, CytC, and caspase-3 by immunohistochemistry and measurement of the apoptosis index (AI) of spermatogenic cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of Bcl-2 was higher in groups B and C than in D but lower than in A (P < 0.05), and lower in C than in B (P < 0.05). However, the expressions of HIF-1, Bax, CytC, and caspase-3 were lower in groups B and C than in D but higher than in A (P < 0.05), and higher in C than in B (P < 0.05). The AI of spermatogenic cells was the lowest in group A, higher in D than in the other groups but lower in B than in C (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TP can reduce the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in a dose-dependent manner in varicocele rats.
authors.forename: Zheng-hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xin-wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Shao-yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin-feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jian-jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jian-dong
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan-gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012082:Renal Veins; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494827:Bax protein, mouse; C497443:Hif1a protein, mouse; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D059808:Polyphenols; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013662:Tea; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D053148:Caspase 3