Damage of the mouse testis by tritiated water and 137Cs-gamma-rays

Tritiated water at 23.2, 46.3 or 92.5 MBq/animal and 137Cs-gamma-rays at 9.5 Gy (equivalent 370 MBq) or lower doses were administered to 6-week old male C3H/HeNCrj and C57BL/6NCrj mice, as well as F1 Crj: B6C3F1 (C3H x C57BL) progeny. Each set of six to ten animals were autopsied 30 days after the first irradiation. Testis weights were decreased dose dependently, relative values being highest in the C3H and lowest in the C57BL case, with B6C3F1 intermediate. Vacuolization in seminiferous tubules appeared in the 23.2 MBq group and increased with the dose. Focal pyknosis and karyomegaly were found at 46.3 MBq, while primary and secondary spermatocytes and spermatids disappeared with 92.5 MBq. Only a few spermatogonia and Sertoli cells remained after exposure to 9.5 Gy 137Cs-gamma-rays. Sizes of seminiferous tubules were decreased dose dependently, with no strain differences. When male B6C3F1 mice were irradiated with Cs-gamma-rays at 0.119 (equivalent 4.63 MBq tritiated water) or 2.38 Gy (equivalent 92.5 MBq tritiated water), body weights and size of the seminiferous tubules were decreased at both doses, and the larger dose also caused reduction of testis weight and abnormal sperm. However, all changes except for the alteration in weights had disappeared 1 month after the final irradiation. It is considered that the size of seminiferous tubules may be a good parameter for radiation damage in the testis.