Acute heat stress increases HSP70 expression in the testis, epididymis and vas deferens of adult male mice / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of acute heat stress on the expression patterns of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in the testis, epididymis and vas deferens of adult male mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two 8-week-old male mice were randomly divided into a control and 3 heat stress groups. After a week of pretreatment, the latter 3 groups were exposed to heat stress at (39 +/- 0.5) degrees C for 0.5, 1 and 3 hours, respectively, followed immediately by collection of the blood and determination of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) concentration. Sperm suspension was made from one epididymis for the detection of sperm concentration and abnormal acrosome rate, while the testis, epididymis and vas deferens on the other side were harvested for immunohistochemical analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Heat stress induced different degrees of decrease in epididymis indexes and sperm concentration and a dramatic increase in GOT concentration (P < 0.01), but caused no significant changes in the body weight, testis indexes and abnormal acrosome rate in the mice (P > 0.05). There was a tendency of gradual descent in sperm concentration and ascent in abnormal acrosome rate with the increasing time of heat stress. The most decrease in body weight, testis indexes and epididymis indexes was observed in the 0.5 h group. Immunohistochemical results showed that HSP70 was expressed in the testis, epididymis and vas deferens, mildly in the Leydig cells of the testis and distributed in the nuclei of the Leydig cells, spermatoblasts and spermatocytes. In the epididymis, HSP70 was expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of principal and ciliated cells, but not in the basal and clear cells, while in the vas deferens, it was observed mainly in the cytoplasm of the basal cells, but not in the principal cells. With the increase of heating time, the HSP70 expression was markedly elevated in the testis and epididymis, but not so obviously in the vas deferens.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acute heat stress was harmful to the reproductive system of adult male mice. The region- and cell-specific patterns of HSP70 expressions in the testis, epididymis and vas deferens suggested that HSP70 might play an important role in spermatogenesis and sperm maturation. The dramatic increase of HSP70 expression after heat stress might be responsible for the prevention of cells from high temperature.</p>

FoxO4 is the main forkhead transcriptional factor localized in the gastrointestinal tracts of pigs / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Forkhead box (Fox) proteins play critical roles in the regulation of differentiation, proliferation, immunity and aging of cells. Most studies on Fox proteins are limited to cultured cells and rodent. The aim of the current study is to detect by immunohistrochemistry whether FoxO1, FoxO3a and FoxO4 proteins are localized in the stomach and intestine of the pig. The results showed that FoxO4 exists in the mucosa in all parts of the stomach and intestine; FoxO3a exists mainly in the lamina propria and muscularis of some parts. However, FoxO1 is not detectable in all parts of the stomach and intestine. Collectively, the results of the present study indicate that there exists a distinct expression pattern of Fox proteins, and that FoxO4 is a primary forkhead transcriptional factor localized in the gastrointestinal tracts of the pig.

Oral acrylamide affects the development and reproductive performance of male rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The content of acrylamide increases remarkably in fried, baked and heat-processed starchy foods. The present experiment was aimed at investigating the toxicity of acrylamide on the reproductive system in male rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty weaned 21-day-old SD male rats were randomly allotted into three groups of 10 each. Group I and Group II were fed on water solutions containing acrylamide 5 mg/kg/d and 10 mg/kg/d for eight consecutive weeks, while the third group on fresh water only as the control. The body weight, viscera weights and testicle and epididymis tissues were detected at the fourth and eighth week respectively. In the end of the experiment, the sperm reserve and morphology in the cauda of the epididymis were examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The growth of the rats treated with acrylamide was retarded (P < 0.05). The weights of the testis and epididymis and the sperm concentration in the cauda of the epididymis of Group II were decreased significantly (P < 0.05) after acrylamide administration, while no significant change was observed in the sperm concentration of Group I (P > 0.05). Furthermore, histopathological lesions were presented in the testes of the treated rats, and the number of Leydig cells around the apoptosis seminiferous tubules increased significantly (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acrylamide has toxic effects on seminiferous tubules and decreases the production of sperm in male rats.</p>