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Updated: Jul 4, 2025

A Seminiferous Tubule Squash Technique for the Cytological Analysis of Spermatogenesis Using the Mouse Model
Published on: February 6, 2018
Cypermethrin induces Sertoli cell apoptosis through endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial coupling involving
Rui Zhang1, Xu-Xu Wang1, Jia-Fei Xie1
1Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tong-Shan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China; Key Laboratory of Human Genetics and Environmental Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China.
Abstract:
A widely used type II pyrethroid pesticide cypermethrin (CYP) is one of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with anti-androgenic activity to induce male reproductive toxicology. However, the mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. This study was to explore the effects of CYP on apoptosis of mouse Sertoli cells (TM4) and the roles of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria coupling involving 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type1-glucose-regulated protein 75-voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (IP3R1-GRP75-VDAC1). TM4 were cultured with different concentrations of CYP. Flow cytometry, calcium (Ca2+) fluorescent probe, transmission electron microscopy and confocal microscopy, and western blot were to examine apoptosis of TM4, mitochondrial Ca2+, ER-mitochondria coupling, and expressions of related proteins. CYP was found to increase apoptotic rates of TM4 significantly. CYP was shown to significantly increase expressions of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Concentration of mitochondrial Ca2+ was increased by CYP treatment significantly. CYP significantly enhanced ER-mitochondria coupling. CYP was shown to increase expressions of IP3R, Grp75 and VDAC1 significantly. We suggest that CYP induces apoptosis in TM4 cells by facilitating mitochondrial Ca2+ overload regulated by ER-mitochondria coupling involving IP3R1-GRP75-VDAC1. This study identifies a novel mechanism of CYP-induced apoptosis in Sertoli cells.
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