The Effect of Long-Term Variation in Sympathetic Activity on Testicular Morphology in Immature Rats

Bergh, Anders; Blom, Håkan; Damber, Jan‐Erik; Henriksson, Robin

doi:10.1111/j.1439-0272.1987.tb02325.x

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…This is consistent with reports that testicular denervation caused abnormal development of the testis and a significant reduction in serum testosterone [11,31,32]. However, bilateral denervation in the adult rat has no acute or chronic effects on testicular weight, spermatogenesis or basal plasma testosterone level [2].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Testicular Denervation in Prepuberty Rat Inhibits Seminiferous Tubule Development and Spermatogenesis

Huo

Zhang

et al. 2010

Journal of Reproduction and Development

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Abstract. In the adult rat, the superior spermatic nerve (SSN) and inferior spermatic nerve (ISN) are involved in regulating testosterone secretion and spermatogenesis, in addition to endocrine control mechanisms. However, there are currently few data on how the testis nerve supply regulates testicular development and related mechanisms. The present study was thus designed to investigate the regulating effects of testis nerve supply to testicular maturation, spermatogenesis and the involved mechanisms from prepuberty to adulthood in rats. We transected the SSNs and ISNs of rats on postnatal day (PD) 30 and then analyzed changes in testicular morphology and cauda epididymal sperm content, cell proliferation and apoptosis and primary spermatocyte meiosis on PD60 and PD90. The results demonstrated that testicular denervation significantly reduced testis mass, cauda epididymal sperm counts and serum testosterone concentrations. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cleaved caspase-3 immunohistochemistry staining proved that the denervation had no influence on the proliferation of spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes, but obviously promoted the apoptosis of round spermatids and Leydig cells. It is novel that denervation reduced the meiotic activation of zygotene and pachytene spermatocytes through the expression of synaptonemal complex protein 3 (SCP3)-a marker of meiosis. In addition, RT-PCR showed that testis denervation significantly decreased testis 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (3β-HSD1) and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) mRNA levels, but had no obvious influence on testis follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) mRNA expression. These results suggest that the testicular nerve supply plays an important role in supporting seminiferous tubule development and spermatogenesis from prepuberty to adulthood. Key words: Apoptosis, Maldevelopment and spermatogenesis, Meiosis, Testicular denervation (J. Reprod. Dev. 56: [370][371][372][373][374][375][376][377][378] 2010) he development and function of the mammalian testis is regulated by endocrine factors and nervous supply. Compared with the endocrine effects, there are few studies on the nervous control of testicular development, although it has been reported that testicular denervation inhibits testosterone secretion and spermatogenesis in adult rats [1][2][3][4] and that spinal cord injury impairs the fertility of men [5].The nerve supply to the adult rat testis mainly involves the superior spermatic nerve (SSN) and inferior spermatic nerve (ISN). The SSN supplies the testis following the testicular artery [6,7], whereas the ISN enters the testis through the inferior testicular ligament [8]. Bilateral resection of the SSN blocks the acute stressinduced rise in plasma testosterone and decreases testicular luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) expression [9][10][11]. Stimulation of the SSN increases both testosterone concentration and norepinephrine output in the spermatic vein [3], suggesting that the SSN has a positive effect on regulating testi...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Testicular Denervation in Prepuberty Rat Inhibits Seminiferous Tubule Development and Spermatogenesis

Huo

Zhang

et al. 2010

Journal of Reproduction and Development

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“…Furthermore, various neurotransmitters display a variety of trophic effects, when available during developmental stages, in various organs including the genital tract (Buznikov et al, 1999). Ac- cordingly, published evidence suggests that autonomic innervation might be required for cell differentiation, development, and structural integrity of various male reproductive tract organs (Hodson, 1965;Nagai et al, 1982;Gerendai et al, 1984Gerendai et al, , 1989Bergh et al, 1987;Zhu et al, 1998;Gutiérrez-Ospina et al, 1999;Chow et al, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pharmacological and surgical denervation experiments have also documented the importance of autonomic, and especially adrenergic, innervation for sustaining both the normal growth pattern and the rate of development of testes and other male reproductive organs (Nagai et al, 1982;Gerendai et al, 1984Gerendai et al, , 1989Bergh et al, 1987;Zhu et al, 1998;Chow et al, 2000). In fact, autonomic innervation is necessary to maintain mature ovary (Burden and Lawrence, 1977;Gerendai et al, 1978;Burden et al, 1981Burden et al, , 1983 and testicular functional and structural integrity (Hodson, 1965;Nagai et al, 1982;Bergh et al, 1987;Lamano-Carvalho et al, 1996;Zhu et al, 1998;Chow et al, 2000). It has also been suggested that autonomic innervation is even required for the process of gonadal sex determination and/or differentiation in some vertebrate species (Gutiérrez-Ospina et al, 1999).…”

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confidence: 99%

Segment‐Specific Decrease of Both Catecholamine Concentration and Acetylcholinesterase Activity Are Accompanied by Nerve Refinement in the Rat Cauda Epididymis During Sexual Maturation

SILVA,

QUEIRÓZ,

NETO

et al. 2002

Journal of Andrology

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In the present work, histochemical and biochemical studies were conducted to analyze changes in the pattern of autonomic innervation during sexual maturation, using the rat epididymis as a model. Glyoxylic acid histochemistry and immunohistochemical studies against dopamine β‐hydroxylase (DβH) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) indicated a reduction in the amount of catecholaminergic and AChE‐positive neurons, fibers, and puncta detected in the cauda epididymis of adult rats (120 days old), when compared to immature (40 days) and young adult (60 days) animals. No obvious age‐related variations were detected in the few catecholaminergic and AChE‐positive fibers and puncta present in the caput region. AChE‐positive fibers were found sorting out among epithelial cells and ending free upon the epithelial surface or into the tubular lumen of the cauda region of adult rats. Furthermore, a positive staining for AChE in epithelial cells was also detected in the caput and cauda epididymis in all ages studied. Biochemical analysis confirmed a significant decrease in noradrenaline concentration as well as AChE activity in the cauda epididymis with sexual maturation. Immunohistochemical studies against microtubule‐associated protein 1B (MAP 1B), a neuronal cytoskeletal marker, further substantiated the quantitative changes observed in catecholaminergic and AChE‐positive neuronal elements in the cauda epididymis. Thus, our results documented segment‐specific variations in noradrenaline concentration and AChE activity during epididymal sexual maturation and suggest that such variations result, at least in part, from the refinement of the autonomic innervation pattern with age.

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Testicular Function After Local Injection of 6‐Hydroxydopamine or Norepinephrine in the Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

MAYERHOFER,

AMADOR,

STEGER

et al. 1990

Journal of Andrology

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Although there is evidence for the sympathetic innervation of the mammalian testis, the function of noradrenergic fibers is not understood. This in vivo and in vitro study in the adult golden hamster examines testicular function after unilateral intratesticular application of a single dose of 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA), a neurotoxic drug known to produce depletion of noradrenergic stores in nerve endings. The contralateral testis in each animal was injected with vehicle alone and served as the control. After 24 h, the content of norepinephrine (NE) in testicular parenchyma was reduced in most testes injected with 6‐OHDA. At this time, concentration of luteinizing hormone receptors (LH‐R) was significantly decreased in the 6‐OHDA treated testis, compared with the vehicle‐injected testes. This decrease was followed by a significant increase at 72 h. The concentration of LH‐R was not significantly altered 10, 48, 144, or 168 h after 6‐OHDA administration. Changes in testicular testosterone (T) concentrations paralleled the changes in LH‐R at most time points. In the incubations of control vehicle injected testes, addition of NE did not affect T production but stimulatory action of hCG was significantly augmented by concomitant exposure to NE at most time points after injection of vehicle. In incubations of 6‐OHDA‐injected testes, a comparable pattern of T responses to NE and hCG was found only 48 h after injection. At 24 h post injection NE alone significantly stimulated T production; at 10 and 24 h the ability of NE to potentiate the action of hCG was significantly reduced, while at 72 and 144 h basal T production and the stimulatory hCG effect were significantly increased. Moreover, at 72, 144, and 168 h, the effect of NE & hCG on T production was significantly greater in 6‐OHDA‐injected testes than in the vehicle injected testes of the same animals. In incubations of untreated hamster testes, addition of 6‐OHDA at doses similar to those used for injections did not affect T production. Weights of 6‐OHDA injected testes were slightly but significantly reduced after 144 and 168 h. These changes were most likely due to degenerative changes of the germinal epithelium, which were clearly detectable 168 h post injection. Because 6‐OHDA can release NE from nerve terminals, the observed effects of 6‐OHDA might have been initiated by supernormal testicular NE concentrations. To examine this possibility, the authors have tested the effects of intratesticular NE injections. This treatment caused decrease of LH‐R at 24 h followed by an increase at 72 h. Testicular T concentrations were significantly reduced 24 h post NE injection and numerically increased 72 h after NE injection, when compared to the values obtained from vehicle injected testes from the same animals. The weights of the NE injected testes were significantly reduced after 72 h. Thus, unilateral intratesticular administration of 6‐OHDA and NE can influence testicular function in hamsters by regulating LH‐R. These findings suggest a novel role for catecholamines and noradrenergic nerves in the control of testicular function. Involvement of these effects in suppression of testicular function during stress can be suspected.

show abstract

The Effect of Long-Term Variation in Sympathetic Activity on Testicular Morphology in Immature Rats

Cited by 10 publications

References 20 publications

Testicular Denervation in Prepuberty Rat Inhibits Seminiferous Tubule Development and Spermatogenesis

Testicular Denervation in Prepuberty Rat Inhibits Seminiferous Tubule Development and Spermatogenesis

Segment‐Specific Decrease of Both Catecholamine Concentration and Acetylcholinesterase Activity Are Accompanied by Nerve Refinement in the Rat Cauda Epididymis During Sexual Maturation

Testicular Function After Local Injection of 6‐Hydroxydopamine or Norepinephrine in the Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

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