2024-03-28T18:01:49Zhttps://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace-oai/requestoai:eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp:2115/868642022-11-17T02:08:08Zhdl_2115_20048hdl_2115_140Morphological Features of the Testis among Autoimmune Mouse Model and Healthy StrainsShouman, ZeinabMarei, Hany E.Abd-Elmaksoud, AhmedKassab, MohamedNamba, TakashiMasum, Md. AbdulElewa, Yaser Hosny AliIchii, OsamuKon, Yasuhiroautoimmune diseaseimmune cellMRLMpJ-Fas(lpr) miceseminiferous tubulesSertoli cells490Autoimmune diseases play a critical role in the progression of infertility in both sexes and their severity has been reported to increase with age. However, few reports have discussed their effect on the morphological features of the testis. Therefore, we compared the morphological alterations in the testes of autoimmune model mice (MRL/MpJ-Fas(lpr)) and the control strain (MRL/MpJ) with those of their background strain (C57BL/6N) at 3 and 6 months. Furthermore, we analyzed the changes in spermatocytes, Sertoli cells, immune cells, and Zonula occludens-1 junctional protein by immunohistochemical staining. The MRL/MpJ-Fas(lpr) mice showed a significant increase in the serum Anti-double stranded DNA antibody level, relative spleen weight, and seminiferous luminal area when compared with other studied two strains. In contrast, a significant decrease in the relative testis weight, and numbers of both Sertoli, meiotic spermatocyte was observed in MRL/MpJ-Fas(lpr) and MRL/MpJ mice compared with C57BL/6N mice especially at 6 months. Similarly, Zonula occludens-1 junctional protein positive cells showed a significant decrease in the same strains at 6 months. However, no immune cell infiltration could be observed among the studied three strains. Our findings suggest that the increase in autoimmune severity especially with age could lead to infertility through loss of spermatogenic and Sertoli cells, rather than the disturbance of the blood-testis barrier.Cambridge University PressJournal Articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/2115/86864https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2115/86864/1/paper.pdf1431-9276Microscopy and microanalysis275120912172021-08-05enginfo:doi/10.1017/S1431927621012411This article has been published in a revised form in [Microscopy and Microanalysis] [http://doi.org/10.1017/S1431927621012411]. This version is published under a Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND. No commercial re-distribution or re-use allowed. Derivative works cannot be distributed. ©[Cambridge University Press].author