Abstract
After a single feeding or intravenous injection of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, the testis of rat was severely and selectively damaged, whereas the ovary of sisters was spared from injury. After many weeks, complete recovery of the testis ensued. The destructive effect of 7,12-DMBA on testis was not shared by other powerful carcinogenic hydrocarbons; 3-methylcholanthrene; benzo[a]pyrene; 2-acetaminophenanthrene. The primary sites of destruction inflicted by 7,12-DMBA on testis were spermatogonia and resting spermatocytes, the only cells in testis which synthesize deoxyribose nucleic acid. No other cells in the germinal epithelium are damaged by 7,12-DMBA. The severe atrophy of testis that ensues after some weeks is secondary to destruction of precursors in the seminiferous cell line. Moreover, interstitial cells of testis are not destroyed by the hydrocarbon. Estimation of malic dehydrogenase is a simple and useful quantitative measure of damage and subsequent repair in testis. Following administration of 7,12-DMBA, the level of MDH had an inverse relationship to weight of the testis.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.0 MB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- EDWARDS J. L., KLEIN R. E. Cell renewal in adult mouse tissues. Am J Pathol. 1961 Apr;38:437–453. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HUGGINS C., GRAND L. C., BRILLANTES F. P. Mammary cancer induced by a single feeding of polymucular hydrocarbons, and its suppression. Nature. 1961 Jan 21;189:204–207. doi: 10.1038/189204a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HUGGINS C., YANG N. C. Induction and extinction of mammary cancer. A striking effect of hydrocarbons permits analysis of mechanisms of causes and cure of breast cancer. Science. 1962 Jul 27;137(3526):257–262. doi: 10.1126/science.137.3526.257. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HUGGINS C., YAO F. O. Influence of hormones on liver. I. Effects of steroids and thyroxine on pyridine nucleotide-linked dehydrogenases. J Exp Med. 1959 Dec 1;110:899–919. doi: 10.1084/jem.110.6.899. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LEBLOND C. P., CLERMONT Y. Definition of the stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium in the rat. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1952 Nov 20;55(4):548–573. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1952.tb26576.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MEYER C. E., FANCHER J. A., SCHURR P. E., WEBSTER H. D. Composition, preparation and testing of an intravenous fat emulsion. Metabolism. 1957 Nov;6(6 Pt 2):591–596. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MONESI V. Autoradiographic study of DNA synthesis and the cell cycle in spermatogonia and spermatocytes of mouse testis using tritiated thymidine. J Cell Biol. 1962 Jul;14:1–18. doi: 10.1083/jcb.14.1.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SHUBIK P., DELLA PORTA G. Carcinogenesis and acute intoxication with large doses of polycyclic hydrocarbons. AMA Arch Pathol. 1957 Dec;64(6):691–703. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]