Effects of fluoride on the histoarchitecture of reproductive organs of the male mouse

The effects of sodium flouride (NaF) ingestion in two doses (10 and 20 mg/kg body weight) for 30 days on histology and histocytometry of reproductive organs of the adult male mouse were investigated. In order to study reversibility, treatment was withdrawn for one and two months. The testes, epididymides, vas deferens, prostate, and seminal vesicle were utilized for the study by standard hematoxylin-eosin staining and an ocular eye piece and micrometer scale. NaF treatment caused severe disorganization and denudation of germinal epithelial cells of seminiferous tubules with absence of sperm in the lumina. The Leydig cell and nucleus diameters were not affected. The caput epididymis showed fewer changes than the cauda. However, epithelial cell nuclear pyknosis and absence of luminal sperm were observed. A reduction in epithelial cell height, nuclear pyknosis, denudation of cells, and absence of sperm occurred in the cauda epididymis. The vas deferens epithelium showed nuclear pyknosis, clumped stereocilia, and cell debris but no sperm in the lumen and an increase in the lamina propria. The prostate and seminal vesicles were not affected by treatment. Withdrawal of treatment caused marked recovery in the histoarchitecture of these organs. The effects of NaF treatment are therefore transient and reversible.     

中国先天性双侧输精管缺如患者CFTR基因全部外显子突变检测

目的:探讨我国先天性双侧输精管缺如患者CFTR基因检测的必要性。方法:采用PCR技术结合DNA直接测序的方法检测9例先天性双侧输精管缺如患者CFTR基因全部外显子的突变情况,并在NCBI和Cystic Fibrosis Mutation Database在线比对。结果:除非编码区突变和已经报道的SNP位点之外,9例先天性双侧输精管缺如患者中4例新发现4种不同于西方人已知突变类型的外显子区突变,均为杂合子错义突变。结论:中国先天性双侧输精管缺如患者CFTR基因外显子区存在不同于西方人的突变,有必要对中国先天性双侧输精管缺如患者进行CFTR基因突变检测。     

Significance of CFTR gene mutations in patients with congenital aplasia of vas deferens with special regard to renal aplasia

Between 1994 and 2010, a total of 123 patients with obstructive azoospermia due to aplasia of vas deferens (CAVD) were surgically treated. In 110 patients, the condition was bilateral (CBAVD), 13 men had unilateral aplasia (CUAVD), and 10 patients additionally had aplasia of one kidney. All patients underwent CFTR genetic testing, which detected two mutations (homozygous or compound heterozygous condition) in 38%, one mutation in 34% and no mutation in 28% of the patients with CBAVD. Neither the azoospermic patients with congenital unilateral aplasia of vas deferens nor those with CBAVD and renal aplasia were found to have CFTR mutations. The results militate against the assumption that there is an association between the CFTR gene and unilateral aplasia of vas deferens or bilateral aplasia of vas deferens with renal involvement.     

On the Abnormalities of Contractile Responses of Rat Vasa Deferentia to Norepinephrine in Genetic Hypertension

Contractile responses to norepinephrine (NE) of strips of vasa deferentia from prostatic end isolated from rats with genetic hypertension and deoxycorticosterone (DOC)-salt induced hypertension were examined. Maximum responses to NE of vasa deferentia from all hypertensive and corresponding normotensive control rats were biphasic. Spontaneous rhythmic activities superimposed on the NE-induced contraction were observed in roost of the SHR (spontaneously hypertensive rat) strips, some of the WKY (Wistar-Kyoto normotensive rat) strips and none of the NWR (regular normotensive Wistar rat) strips. Neither the fast- nor the slow-component of the maximum contractile response to NE was altered in the vasa deferentia from SHR compared to those from WKY and in vasa deferentia from DOC-salt hypertensive rats (DHR) compared to those from the corresponding DOC-salt treated but normotensive controls (DNR). However, the strips from NWR developed significantly greater tension than those from WKY and DNR. Our findings suggest that interpretation of studies on hypertension in rats should take into account differences between tissues related to the strain of the rats used as controls for genetic hypertension     

Potentiating actions of tranylcypromine and moclobemide on the sympathomimetic activity of dopamine

Ex vivo investigations were carried out to study the potentiating actions of the MAOIs moclobemide and tranylcypromine on peripheral alpha- and beta-adrenergic effects of dopamine. Isolated rat vas deferens and atria were used. Preliminary experiments showed that both moclobemide and tranylcypromine did not affect the response to noradrenaline, while they enhanced the response to tyramine. By comparison of the responses to dopamine in control and reserpinized rats, it was shown that dopamine acts in a direct and indirect manner on both the tissues tested. Two concentrations (20, 40 mg/kg, i.p.) of moclobemide were tested and administered at different time periods (2, 5 or 24 h) before the animals were sacrificed. Two concentrations (2, 20 mg/kg, i.p.) of tranylcypromine were tested at different intervals of time (2, 24 h). The results obtained pointed out that: (1) Moclobemide 20 mg/kg potentiated the alpha-adrenergic response to dopamine only 2 h after administration while 40 mg/kg exerted a potentiation which was evident not only 2 but also 5 h after administration. Both doses were ineffective 24 h after administration. (2) Moclobemide 20 and 40 mg/kg potentiated the beta-adrenergic response to dopamine. The effect was present 2 and 5 h after administration but it was absent 24 h after. (3) Tranylcypromine 20 mg/kg potentiated the alpha-adrenergic response to dopamine: this effect was present after 2 h from pretreatment and was still evident after 24 h. The lower concentration of tranylcypromine (2 mg/kg) enhanced the response to dopamine only after 24 h from pretreatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The effect of age on the sensitivity of pre- and postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptors to agonists and antagonists in the rat

Summary Age-related changes in presynaptic alpha-2 and postsynaptic alpha-1 adrenoceptors have been determined using the rat isolated vas deferens and the thoracic aorta, respectively. The IC₅₀ values of clonidine, B-HT 933 and UK 14,304 for inhibition of the electrically evoked contractions of the vas deferens were significantly higher in 50 week old rats when compared with rats of 5 weeks. Similarly, EC₅₀ values for the contraction of the thoracic aorta by noradenaline, methoxamine and phenylephrine were significantly increased in 50 week old rats compared with 5 week old rats. No age-related changes in the potency of the selective alpha-2 adrenoceptor antagonists yohimbine and Wy 26392 were detected in the vas deferens. Similarly, there were no age-related changes in the alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonist potency of indoramin or prazosin on the aorta.The results of the present study suggest that the potency of both alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists, as measured by their respective EC and IC₅₀ values decreases with increasing age.     

Aquaporin 9 (AQP9) Localization in the Adult Dog Testis Excurrent Ducts by Immunohistochemistry

Aquaporins (AQPs) are small, intrinsic membrane proteins that are present in many cell types involved in fluid transport. AQP9 is a major apical water channel that is expressed throughout the efferent ducts, epididymis, and vas deferens, as well as in other regions of the human and rodent male reproductive tract. The target of this study was to examine the expression of AQP9 in epithelial cells in the adult dog efferent ducts, epididymis, and vas deferens. Samples of dog male reproductive tract comprising fragments of the testis; initial segment, caput, corpus, and cauda of the epididymis; and vas deferens were obtained from eight adult mongrel dogs. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting procedures were used to show AQP9 localization and distribution. AQP9 expression was not detected either in dog seminiferous tubules or rete testis. However, apical labeling for AQP9 was detected in the different regions of epididymis and vas deferens, with the reaction being less intense in the caput epididymis. Thus, AQP9 is abundantly expressed in dog male reproductive tract, in which it is an important apical pathway for transmembrane flow of water and neutral solutes. Anat Rec, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

促甲状腺素释放激素与μ、δ和κ阿片受体的作用关系初步观察

本实验用豚鼠回肠，小鼠输精管和兔输精管为实验对象，用特异性阿片受体激动剂和拮抗剂为工具药，从定性，定量两方面研究了促甲状腺素释放激素（ＴＲＨ）与μ，δ，κ亚型阿片受体的关系。结果显示ＴＲＨ（０．０１ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ）可拮抗Ｄ－丙２，Ｄ－亮５－脑啡肽（ＤＡＤＬＥ）抑制小鼠输精管的收缩反应，同时可使ＤＡＤＬＥ的对数浓度反应曲线（ＬＣＣＲＣ）右移，其拮抗参数ｐＡ２值为９．３，但ＴＲＨ不拮抗双氢埃托啡（ＤＨＥ）抑制豚鼠回肠及埃托啡（Ｅｔｏ）抑制兔输精管的收缩反应，对ＤＨＥ及Ｅｔｏ的ＬＣＣＲＣ无明显影响，结果提示ＴＲＨ拮抗阿片肽的作用有一定的受体亚型选择性，这种选择性可能与δ阿片受体有关     

Carrier-mediated outward transport of dopamine from adrenergic varicosities of the vas deferens of reserpine-pretreated rats

Summary In vasa deferentia of reserpine-pretreated rats a carrier-mediated (i. e., desipramine-sensitive) outward trAnsport of endogenous dopamine was induced by either tyramine or ouabain. The dopamine taking part in the efflux induced by tyramine (and the concomitant efflux of DOPAC) was derived from ongoing synthesis of dopamine.Inhibition of MAO trebled the rate of spontaneous efflux of dopamine and reduced the spontaneous efflux of DOPAC by 90%. After inhibition of MAO, desipramine caused a further five-fold increase in the basal efflux of dopamine with no change in the basal efflux of DOPAC. Inhibition of COMT failed to affect the spontaneous efflux of dopamine but increased that of DOPAC.It is concluded that, after depletion of the noradrenaline stores by pretreatment with reserpine, an outward transport of axoplasmic dopamine is induced by the same mechanisms that (without any pretreatment with reserpine) are known to initiate an outward transport of noradrenaline.Abbreviations COMT catechol-O-methyl transferase - DOPAC dihydroxyphenylacetic acid; HVA homovanillic acid - MAO monoamine oxidase Supported by the Dr. Robert Pfleger-Stiftung and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 176 and Gr 490/5)Supported by the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung Send offprint requests to T. Halbrügge at the above address