Effects of polychlorinated biphenyl on the expressions of c-fos, c-Myc and beta-catenin in the rat testis

• Published in: Zhonghua nan ke xue Vol. 17; no. 2; p. 126
• Main Authors: Zhao, Hong-bin, Yang, Yin-shu, Liu, Xu-dong, Cheng, Mou-tao, Hu, Jun, Dong, Ju-zi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.02.2011
• Subjects: Animals; beta Catenin - metabolism; Male; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - adverse effects; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Testis - metabolism; Testis - pathology
• ISSN: 1009-3591

To study the effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) on the phenotype of the testis tissue and the testis tissue and the expression c-fos, c-Myc and beta-catenin in the rat testis. Forty-five Wistar male rats were divided into a control and three perimental groups, the former fed normally, and the latter with PCB at 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg respectively for 90 days. Then the effects of PCB on the phenotype of the testis tissue and the expressions of c-fos, c-Myc and p-catenin were determined by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Histopathological examinations revealed testis edema, damage of the mesenchymal phenotype, morphological changes of the contorted seminiferous tubules, absence of stromal cells, spermiocytes and prespermatids, and decreased number of sperm. The expressions of c-fos and c-Myc were significantly higher in the 1 and 10 mg/kg PCB groups than in the control and 0.1 mg/kg PCB groups (P < 0.01). The expression of beta-catenin was downregulated in the 0.1 mg/kg PCB group, with significant