RESUMO
Objective@#To investigate the effect of long-term deep slow-wave sleep deprivation on the gonad axis, sperm abnormality rate, and structure of the testis in male rats and possible mechanisms.@*Methods@#A total of 30 specific pathogen-free male Wistar rats aged 5 weeks were randomly divided into slow-wave sleep deprivation group 1 (SD1 group) , slow-wave sleep and sleep time deprivation group 2 (SD2 group) , and control group, with 10 rats in each group. The flower pot method was used to establish a model of sleep deprivation. In addition to 12-hour sleep deprivation at night, the rats in the SD1 group were given interference once every 24 minutes, and those in the SD2 group were deprived of sleep for 8 minutes every 24 minutes; the rats in the control group were given 12-hour light illumination and then placed in dark environment for 12 hours. All rats were sacrificed by exsanguination from the femoral artery, and the testis, the epididymis, and blood were collected for analysis. Sperm abnormality rate and sperm motility rate were measured, and cauda epididymal sperm counting was performed. ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of testosterone (T) , follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) , and luteinizing hormone (LH) .@*Results@#Compared with the control group, the SD2 group had a significant increase in organ coefficient of the epididymis (P<0.05) and a significant reduction in sperm motility rate (P<0.05) . There were significant differences between the SD1 group and the SD2 group in the increase in sperm abnormality rate (P<0.05) and the reduction in cauda epididymal sperm count (P<0.05) . The levels of FSH and T tended to increase, and the level of LH tended to decrease. Pathological examination showed degeneration and vacuolization of a small amount of spermatogenic cells in the SD1 group; in the SD2 group, there were significant degeneration, edema, and vacuolization of most spermatogenic cells, some spermatogenic cells were observed in the lumen, and there were no sperms in the lumen.@*Conclusion@#Long-term deep slow-wave sleep deprivation impairs the structure of the testis, affects sperm motility rate and sex hormones, and increases the risk of sperm abnormality.
RESUMO
Objective To observe the mRNA and protein expression of thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) in each trimester of pregnant and lactating Wistar rats.Methods Ninety-six SPFNAF Wistar rats (84 female and 12 male),weighting 220-260 g were involved.All female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups according to their body mass via the random number table method:control group,early pregnancy group (7 d),midpregnancy group (14 d),late pregnancy group (21 d),early lactation group (7 d),midlactation group (14 d) and late lactation group (21 d),12 rats in each group.The rats were fed with conventional feed and drank deionized water freely.Female rats of the last 6 groups were mated with male rats.Thyroids were collected on the 7 d,14 d and 21 d of their pregnancy and lactation,respectively.The mRNA expression levels of Tg and TPO were detected by quantitative real-time PCR,and the protein expression levels of Tg and TPO were detected by Western blotting.Results The expression levels of Tg mRNA in thyroid tissue in the control group,early,middle and late pregnancy and early,middle and late lactation (1.05 ± 0.01,3.20 ± 0.23,1.88 ± 0.12,2.69 ± 0.20,1.53 ± 0.19,2.37 ± 0.31,2.23 ± 0.12) were significantly different between groups (F =42.864,P ＜ 0.05),and those of pregnancy and lactation groups were higher than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).The expression levels of Tg protein were 0.15 ± 0.01,0.38 ± 0.01,0.32 ± 0.02,0.37 ± 0.01,0.21 ± 0.01,0.35 ± 0.01,0.44 ± 0.01,respectively.The differences between groups were statistically significant (F =232.250,P ＜ 0.05).And those of pregnancy and lactation groups were higher than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).The expression levels of TPO mRNA in thyroid tissue in the control group,early,middle and late pregnancy and early,middle and late lactation (0.57 ± 0.01,0.74 ± 0.03,0.78 ± 0.13,1.08 ± 0.10,0.98 ± 0.10,1.00 ± 0.07,0.76 ± 0.05) were significantly different between groups (F =15.448,P ＜ 0.05).And those of pregnancy and lactation groups were higher than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).The expression of TPO protein were 0.23 ± 0.01,0.41 ± 0.01,0.72 ± 0.02,0.78 ± 0.01,0.49 ± 0.01,0.52 ± 0.01,0.45 ± 0.02,respectively.The differences between groups were statistically significant (F =563.692,P ＜ 0.05).And those of pregnancy and lactation groups were higher than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The mRNA and protein expression levels of TPO and Tg have increased in pregnant and lactating rats.This performance may be raleted to thyroid hormone deficiency and mild hypothyroidism.