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Secondary biliary cholestasis promotes testicular macrophage infiltration and autophagy in rats
Shao-Hua Shi1, Li Jiang, Hai-Yang Xie
1Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou, China.
Problem:
Cholestasis can cause translocation of gut bacteria, and endotoxemia, and systemic inflammation. Now, little is known about the effects of cholestasis on the testicular inflammation and autophagy.
Methods:
A rat biliary cholestasis model caused by common bile duct ligation (CBDL), together with biliary decompression (choledochoduodenostomy), was used.
Results:
The magnitude of MCP-1 expression and CD68(+) macrophage infiltration within testes was progressively up-regulated in rats along with increasing duration of CBDL and was maintained at relatively high level in rats with biliary decompression. The large up-regulation of testicular ATG-12, LC3II, and autophagic vacuoles was found with the extending duration of CBDL and kept at 5 weeks following biliary decompression. The autophagic contents were a large accumulation of mitophagy in testes in rats with CBDL, and cytosol components in rats with biliary decompression.
Conclusion:
Secondary biliary cholestasis can promote inflammatory reaction and the activation of mitophagy and autophagy in testes.
