Abstract
The killing of male germ cells by radiation and other toxicants has recently been attributed to apoptosis, but a critical evaluation of the presence of the different features of apoptosis in each epithelial stage has not been performed. In this study, mouse testes exposed to radiation were examined by light microscopy and terminal transferase-mediated end labeling (TUNEL) with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stains to determine whether the cells were apoptotic according to several criteria. Apoptosis was easily recognized by the presence of peroxidase-stained, entirely apoptotic bodies. In the TUNEL-positive cells or bodies, the stained products correlated precisely with the typical morphologic characteristics of apoptosis as seen at the light microscopic level. The changes that occurred from 0 to 24 hours after exposing the mice to 2 Gy of gamma-rays (2 Gy/min) were examined. The numbers of apoptotic cells reached a peak at 12 hours after irradiation and then declined. The mice that received 0-8 Gy of gamma-rays were examined 8 hours after irradiation. Dose-response relationships were generated for each stage of the epithelial cycle by counting TUNEL-positive cells. The dose-response curves were linear- quadratic [y=(-0.014${\pm}$0.009)$D^{2}$+(0.31${\pm}$0.697)D+0.3575. Where y=the number of apoptotic cells per seminiferous tubule, and D=the irradiation dose in Gy, $r^{2}$=0.9] and there was a significant relationship between the frequency of apoptotic cells and the radiation dose. Although the maximum response was produced by 8 Gy, even 0.5 Gy induced marked changes. These changes were most pronounced in B spermatogonia of stage V and the spermatocyte at the mitotic cells of stage XII.
방사선 및 각종 독성물질에 의한 고환 정세관세포의 사멸은 apoptosis와 관련이 있다고 알려져 있으나 정세관상피주기에 따른 apoptosis 발생에 대한 변화연구는 미진하다. 본 연구에서는 감마선을 조사한 ICR 마우스의 고환에서 apoptosis 발생을 transferase-mediated end labeling (TUNEL) 과 periodicacid-Schiff (PAS) 염색을 동시에 실시하여 관찰하였다. Apptosis는 TUNEL 양성으로 나타났으며 특징적 형태변화를 보였다. 2 Gy (분당 2 Gy의 선량률)의 방사선을 조사하고 24시간동안의 변화를 관찰한바 방사선조사 후 12시간에 가장 높은 apoptosis 발생을 보였고 이후 감소하였다. 8 Gy까지의 방사선을 조사하고 8시간에 변화를 관찰한 결과 모든 정세관상피주기에서 방사선 용량에 비례한 apoptosis의 발생이 관찰되었다. 방사선 용량-반응은 linear-quadratic 곡선 [y=(-0.014${\pm}$0.009)$D^{2}$ +(0.31${\pm}$0.697)D+0.3575. Y는 정세관 당 TUNEL 양성세포의 수, D는 방사선 용량(Gy), $r^{2}$=0.9]에 가장 일치 하였다. 최대반응은 8 Gy에서 관찰되었으며, 0.5 Gy조사군에서도 변화가 나타났다. 이러한 변화는 정세관상피주기 V에서 B정조세포와 정세관상피주기 XII의 분열기 정자세포에서 가장 현저하였다.
