The changes of the immune circumstance in the testicular tissues of mice treated with low dose of cadmium

• Ogawa Yuki

  Department of Bioenvironmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical University

• Qu Ning

  Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical University

• Kitaoka Miyuki

  Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical University

• Naito Munekazu

  Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical University

• Terayama Hayato

  Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical University

• Itoh Masahiro

  Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical University

• Matsuno Yoshiharu

  Department of Bioenvironmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University

• Mori Chisato

  Department of Bioenvironmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University

Bibliographic Information

Other Title

• カドミウム微量投与による精巣の免疫学的組織環境の変化

Abstract

The testis is known as an immunologically privileged organ. In particular, blood-testis barrier (BTB) formed by blood capillary endothelia in the interstitium and myoid cell layer, basement membrane and epithelial cells of the germ cell ducts preserves autoimmunogeneic germ cells from attack by the self immune system. However, the BTB at the rete testis (RT) and the tubuli recti (TR) is physiologically more weak than that at the seminiferous tubules (ST) in that the former is paritially permeable to anti-sperm antibodies and administered horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Cadmium chrolide (CdCl₂), one of various environmental toxicants, is known to injure testicular capillary endothelia primarily with resultant necrosis of the both ST and interstitial tissues in rats and mice when treated with significant doses of CdCl₂. In the present study, we investigated histopathological changes of testes in A/J mice treated with low doses of CdCl₂ (1 mg/kg bw and 3 mg/kg bw) by examination of changes of the distribution of administered HRP and inherent IgG into the testes. The results showed that light microscopic appearance of the testicular sections looked intact and exhinbited normal spermatogenesis even in 3 mg/kg CdCl₂-treatment. In control mice, many HRP-endocytosing macrophages were histochemically found through the interstitial tissues. In contrast, the endocytosis of HRP by testicular macrophages was apparently weakened and HRP stains were preferentially accumulated at the interstitial space around the TR and RT in CdCl₂-treated mice. Furthermore, HRP stains were found to infiltrate into some intra- and inter-spaces of epithelial cells lining the ST, the TR and the RT of CdCl₂-treated mice. However, it was noted that no HRP stain could be found in lumen of these tubules. On the other hand, the inherent IgG were homogenously distributed through the interstium and IgG-endocytosing macrophages were not observed in both control and CdCl₂-treated mice. However, it was found that a few ST had been infiltrated by the inherent IgG in CdCl₂-treated mice. Collectively, our results suggest that the low doses of CdCl₂ do not evoke the spermatogenic disturbance however cause dysfunction of the testicular macrophages and injure the basement membrane of the ST, the TR and the RT. However, the breakdown of BTB by CdCl₂ seemed to be not specific to the TR and the RT where the BTB is known to be incomplete.

Journal

• Reproductive Immunology and Biology

  Reproductive Immunology and Biology 22 (2), 49-55, 2009

  Japan Society for Immunology of Reproduction

Keywords

• 環境毒性物質
• 血液―精巣関門

Details

• CRID: 1390001205279502464
• NII Article ID: 130004490605
• DOI: 10.3192/jsirib.22.49
• ISSN: 18817211
• ISSN: 1881607X
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed