Effect of liver growth factor on both testicular regeneration and recovery of spermatogenesis in busulfan-treated mice

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology

Methodology

Maria I Arenas¹  Maria VT Lobo¹  Miriam Pérez-Crespo²  Eva Pericuesta²  Serafín Pérez-Cerezales²  Alfonso Gutierrez-Adan²  Juan J Díaz-Gil³ 

[1] Dpto de Biología Celular y Genética, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain;Dpto de Reproducción Animal y Conservación de Recursos Zoogenéticos, INIA, Ctra de la Coruña Km 5.9, 28040, Madrid, Spain;Servicio de Bioquímica Experimental, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain;

关键词: Leydig Cell;    Seminiferous Tubule;    Busulfan;    Sperm Concentration;    Spermatogonial Stem Cell;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1477-7827-9-21

 received in 2010-11-29, accepted in 2011-02-04,  发布年份 2011

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundSome adult stem cells persist in adult tissue; however, we do not know how to stimulate stem cells in adults to heal injuries. Liver growth factor (LGF) is a biliprotein with hepatic mitogen activity. Its concentration increases markedly in the presence of any type of liver injury, and it shows in vivo therapeutic biological activity at extrahepatic sites.MethodsWe have analyzed the effect of LGF on the replenishment of germinal cells in the testes of mice injected with busulfan, a common cancer drug that also specifically affects germ line stem cells and spermatogonia. We determined the testicular and epididymal weight, spermatozoal concentration in the epididymis and sperm motility, and performed a histological analysis.ResultsIntraperitoneal administration of LGF was able to partially restore spermatogenesis, as well as sperm production and motility, in mice sterilized with busulfan. LGF treatment in busulfan-treated animals that have suffered a disruption of spermatogenesis can accelerate the reactivation of this process in most of the tubules, as shown in the histological analysis.ConclusionsOur results suggest a potential use of LGF in the mobilization of testicular stem cells and in the restoration of spermatogenesis after busulfan-induced damage to the testicular germinal epithelium.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
© Pérez-Crespo et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011. This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.