Applied Microscopy

Korean Society of Microscopy (한국현미경학회)
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Concentration Effect of Estrogen Receptor-${\alpha}$ Selective Agonist on the Morphology of Reproductive Organs of the Male Mice

수컷 생쥐 생식기관의 형태에 미치는 에스트로겐 수용체 알파의 선택적 촉진제의 농도별 영향

  • Han, Ji-Yeon (Department of Biology, College of Bio-industry Science, Sunchon National University) ;
  • Cho, Young-Kuk (Department of Clinical Pathology, Seokang University) ;
  • Cho, Hyun-Wook (Department of Biology, College of Bio-industry Science, Sunchon National University)
  • 한지연 (순천대학교 생명산업과학대학 생물학과) ;
  • 조영국 (서강정보대학 임상병리과) ;
  • 조현욱 (순천대학교 생명산업과학대학 생물학과)
  • Received : 2011.03.07
  • Accepted : 3011.03.23
  • Published : 2011.03.31
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Abstract

Known as a female hormone, estrogen, has an effect on the male reproductive organs. The estrogen has to combine with the estrogen receptor to communicate a signal. Propyl pyrazole triol (PPT) is an estrogen receptor alpha selective agonist with a 410-, or 1,000-fold relative binding affinity for estrogen receptor alpha versus estrogen receptor beta. In this study, adult male mice were treated weekly with subcutaneously injections of PPT (0.01 mg, 0.1 mg, 1mg and 4 mg) suspended in castor oil (as control) for 8 weeks and observed histologically changes in testis, efferent ductule and epididymis. In the high concentrations of PPT 4 mg treatment group, a remarkable reduction was observed in the weight of the body, testis and epididymis. Microscopic examination revealed a reduction in seminiferous tubular diameter of the testis, and epithelial cell height of the epididymis in treated group during the experiment. In addition, as the diameter of the efferent ductule increased gradually, the height of epithelial cells was decreased. PPT 4 mg treatment group caused inhibition of spermatogenesis due to atrophied germinal epithelium in the testis, and decrease of adipocyte size attached to the epididymis. Sperm was not observed in the caudal epididymis of PPT 4 mg treated group. In conclusion, the injection of high concentrations of PPT into adult male mice induced physiological changes, such as an inhibition of spermatogenesis, and also histological changes within the reproductive organs.

암컷호르몬으로 알려져 있는 에스트로겐이 실제로는 수컷 생식기관에도 영향을 미친다. 에스트로겐은 수용체와 결합하여 그 작용을 나타낸다. Propyl pyrazole triol (PPT)은 에스트로겐 수용체 베타에 비해 상대적으로 알파에 410배 혹은 1,000배 더 높은 선택적 친화성으로 결합하는 에스트로겐 수용체 알파 촉진제이다. 본 연구에서는 성체 수컷 생쥐를 대상으로 castor oil에 각각 0.01 mg, 0.1 mg, 1 mg, 4mg의 농도로 희석한 PPT를 1주에 1회씩 8주 동안 피하주사 하였다. 대조군은 castor oil을 주 1회씩 동일한 기간 동안 생쥐에 피하주사 하였다. 정소, 수출소관, 부정소의 조직학적 변화를 현미경으로 관찰하였다. PPT 4mg의 고농도 투여군에서는 체중, 정소, 부정소의 무게가 뚜렷하게 감소되었다. 실험기간 동안 PPT에 의해 세정관의 직경, 부정소의 상피세포 높이가 감소되었다. 부정소에 붙어 있던 지방세포의 크기는 PPT에 의해 줄어들었다. PPT 4 mg 투여군의 경우, 부정소의 꼬리 부위에 저장되는 정자가 관찰되지 않았다. 결론적으로 고농도의 PPT 투여로 인해 성체 수컷 생쥐의 정자형성 억제와 같은 생리학적 변화가 유발되었고 동시에 생식기관의 조직학적 변화도 유발되었다.

Keywords

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