effects of imatinib mesylate on cellular viability, platelet derived growth factor and stem cell factor in mouse testicular normal leydig cells

Background: Growth factors play an essential role in the development of tumor and normal cells like testicular leydig cells. Treatment of cancer with anti-cancer agents like imatinib mesylate may interfere with normal leydig cell activity, growth and fertility through failure in growth factors' production or their signaling pathways. The purpose of the study was to determine cellular viability and the levels of, platelet derived growth factor [PDGF] and stem cell factor [SCF] in normal mouse leydig cells exposed to imatinib, and addressing the effect of imatinib on fertility potential

Methods: The mouse TM3 leydig cells were treated with 0 [control], 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 microM imatinib for 2, 4 and 6 days. Each experiment was repeated three times [15 experiments in each day]. The cellular viability and growth factors levels were assessed by MTT and ELISA methods, respectively. For statistical analysis, one-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc and Kruskal-Wallis test were performed. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant

Results: With increasing drug concentration, cellular viability decreased significantly [p<0.05] and in contrast, PDGF levels increased [p<0.05]. Different imatinib concentrations had no significant effect on SCF level. Increasing the duration of treatment from 2 to 6 days had no obvious effect on cellular viability, PDGF and SCF levels

Conclusion: Imatinib may reduce fertility potential especially at higher concentrations in patients treated with this drug by decreasing cellular viability. The effect of imatinib on leydig cells is associated with PDGF stimulation. Of course future studies can be helpful in exploring the long term effects of this drug

Imatinib alters cell viability but not growth factors levels in TM4 Sertoli cells

Background: The anticancer agent imatinib [IM] is a small molecular analog of ATP that inhibits tyrosine kinase activity of platelet derived growth factors [PDGFs] and stem cell factor [SCF] receptor in cancer cells. However these factors have a key role in regulating growth and development of normal Sertoli, Leydig and germ cells

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine cell viability, PDGF and SCF levels in mouse normal Sertoli cells exposed to IM

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, the mouse TM4 Sertoli cells were treated with 0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 micro M IM for 2, 4 or 6 days. The cell viability and growth factors levels were assessed by MTT and ELISA methods, respectively. For statistical analysis, One-Way ANOVA was performed

Results: IM showed significant decrease in Sertoli cell viability compared to control group [p=0.001]. However, IM increased PDGF and SCF level insignificantly [p>0.05]

Conclusion: Results suggested that IM treatment induced a dose dependent reduction of cell viability in Sertoli cells. It seems that treatment with this anticancer drug is involved in the fertility process. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of PDGF and SCF in this cell

Zinc and low-dose of cadmium protect sertoli cells against toxic-dose of cadmium: the role of metallothionein

The impact of cadmium [Cd] on male infertility may be related to the interaction with metal-binding proteins known as metallothioneins [Mts]. Trace elements like zinc [Zn] have protective effects on testicular damage induced by Cd. We determined the effect of Zn and low-dose Cd pre-treatment on the expression of Mt1 and Mt2 genes on testicular Sertoli cells. The cultured TM4 mouse sertoli cells were treated with 50 micro M ZnSO4 [Zn pre-treated group; ZnPG], 2 micro M CdCl2 [Cd pre-treated group; CdPG], or distilled water [DW pre-treated group; DWPG]. After 18 hour, all of these groups were exposed to 100 micro M CdCl2 for different periods of time [1, 2, 3, and 6 hours]. There was also a control group for all three groups, which was treated only with distilled water [without Cd or Zn pre-treatment]. Cellular viability, Zn and Cd concentrations and gene expression were assessed by MTT, atomic absorption spectrometry and real time PCR methods, respectively. The expression of Mt1 and Mt2 genes in ZnPG, CdPG, and DWPG was greater than the control group [p=0.02 and p=0.01, respectively]. Cd concentrations in CdPG and DWPG were greater than the control group [p=0.00]. Expression of both genes in ZnPG and CdPG increased after 3 hours of treatment and Cd concentration decreased simultaneously, which was more obvious in ZnPG. Zn and short term low-dose Cd pre-treatment might reduce the adverse effects of Cd by increasing expression of Mts genes in Sertoli cells. The protective effect of Zn was stronger than Cd

Seroprevalence of anti-helicobacter pylori and anticytotoxin-associated gene a antibodies according to abo blood groups and rhesus status among hemodialysis patients

Correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and blood group typing has been widely evaluated in both patients and healthy population. However, data addressing this correlation in hemodialysis patients are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of anti-Helicobacter pylori and anticytotoxin-associated gene A [anti-Cag A] antibodies and their correlations with ABO blood groups and rhesus blood group status in hemodialysis patients. In a cross-sectional study, serum samples of 151 hemodialysis patients were tested for anti-Helicobacter pylori IgG antibody. Anti-Cag A antibody [IgG antibody] was tested in Helicobacter pylori-positive patients. ABO blood groups typing and rhesus status were tested by hemagglutination test. Prevalence of anti-Helicobacter pylori and anti-Cag A antibodies in Helicobacter pylori-positive patients were 65.6% [99 of 151] and 25.3% [25 of 99], respectively. Prevalence of anti-Helicobacter pylori and anti-Cag A antibodies were 69.1% and 36.8% in patients with blood group A, 42.3% and 9.1% in blood group B, 75.0% and zero in blood group AB, 69.4% and 23.3% in blood group O, 59.0% and 30.6% in rhesus-positive status and 89.7% and 11.5% in rhesus-negative status, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the presence of anti-Helicobacter pylori and anti-Cag A antibodies and rhesus status, but no significant relation between ABO blood groups and anti-Cag A antibodies were found. Rhesus status may have an impact on the presence of anti-Helicobacter pylori and anti-Cag A antibodies. More investigations to address this correlation are necessary