Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Little is known about stem cell transplantation for treatment of partial androgen deficiency syndrome.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on rat testicular interstitial cells and the secretion of testosterone.
METHODS: Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats, 6 months of age, were selected as control group, and serum testosterone and free testosterone concentrations were detected. Another 20 Sprague-Dawley rats, 20 months of age, presenting with lower serum testosterone and free testosterone concentrations than the control group were selected as animal models of partial androgen deficiency syndrome. Then, model rats were randomized into model, orthotopic transplantation, and tail vein transplantation groups. Rats in the latter two groups were respectively given 2×10⁸/L bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell suspension (0.2 mL) into the testis, 2×10⁸/L bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell suspension (0.5 mL) into the tail vein. Eight weeks after transplantation, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and testosterone levels in serum were detected in all groups, and pathological sections were prepared.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was no difference in follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels among the four groups, but significantly lower level of testosterone was found in the model group compared with other groups (P ≤ 0.01). Hematoxylin-eosin staining results showed that: in the normal control group, the testicular tissue was intact, in which, there were a large number of Leydig cells, Sertoli cells and spermatogenic cells; in the model group, the testicular tissue was damaged, with the sparse presence of Sertoli cells and Leydig cells and lack of spermatogonia and spermatogenic cells; in the two transplantation groups, the complete testicular tissue was visible, with a large number of Leydig cells and Sertoli cells or spermatogenic cells. NBT staining results also showed that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation increased the testicular interstitial cell number in the testis (P ≤ 0.01). All these findings suggest that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation can promote the repair of testicular tissue in old rats, which may lead to a new therapy for partial androgen deficiency syndrome.

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：干细胞；骨髓干细胞；造血干细胞；脂肪干细胞；肿瘤干细胞；胚胎干细胞；脐带脐血干细胞；干细胞诱导；干细胞分化；组织工程

Key words: Stem Cells, Stem Cell Transplantation, Testis, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Tissue Engineering