Low-dose-rate radiation exposure leads to testicular damage with decreases in DNMT1 and HDAC1 in the murine testis |
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Authors: | Eun Ji Gong In Sik Shin Tae Gen Son Kwangmo Yang Kyu Heo Joong Sun KIM |
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Affiliation: | 1.Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), 40 Jwadong-gil, Gijang-gun, Busan 619-953, Republic of Korea;2.Natural Medicine Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 30 Yeongudanji-ro, Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk 363-883, Republic of Korea |
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Abstract: | This study examined the effects of continuous low-dose-rate radiation exposure (3.49 mGy/h) of gamma rays on mice testicles. C57BL/6 mice were divided into sham and radiation groups (n = 8 each), and were exposed to either sham irradiation or 2 Gy for 21 days, 0.2 Gy for 2 days, or 0.02 Gy for 6 h of low-dose-rate irradiation. Testicular weight, seminiferous tubular diameter, and seminiferous epithelial depth were significantly decreased in the mice irradiated with 2 Gy at 1 and 9 days after exposure. Moreover, the low-dose-rate radiation exposure induced an increase in malondialdehyde levels, and a decrease in superoxide dismutase activity in the testis of mice irradiated with 2 Gy at 1 and 9 days after exposure. The sperm count and motility in the epididymis also decreased in mice irradiated with 2 Gy at 1 and 9 days after exposure, whereas there was no significant effect on the proportion of abnormal sperm. The expressions of DNA methlytransferases-1 and histone deacetylases 1 in testes irradiated with 2 Gy were significantly decreased compared with the sham group. In conclusion, the damage exerted on the testes and epididymis largely depended on the total dose of low-dose-rate radiation. |
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Keywords: | radiation effects low-dose-rate radiation testis sperm |
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