Lead induces apoptosis in mouse TM3 Leydig cells through the Fas/FasL death receptor pathway

Publication date: December 2017 Source:Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, Volume 56 Author(s): Xiuyuan He, Jing Wu, Liyun Yuan, Feng Lin, Jine Yi, Jing Li, Hui Yuan, Jinling Shi, Tingting Yuan, Shufang Zhang, Yongheng Fan, Zhihang Zhao The study was aimed to investigate the effect of Pb toxicity on mouse Leydig cells and its molecular mechanism. The TM3 cells were cultured in vitro and exposed to Pb at different concentrations for 24h. The effects of Pb on cell proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed with MTT and Annexin V-FITC/PI via flow cytometry, respectively. Expression levels of Fas, Fas-L and caspase-8 in TM3 cells were determined by western blot. As well as the inhibitory effect of the caspase-8 inhibitor Z-IETD-FMK on cell apoptosis. We found that Pb treatment significantly decreased the cellar viability (P< 0.05), increased the apoptosis (P< 0.01) and the Fas, FasL, and caspase-8 expression levels in Pb-treated cells as compared to the control cells (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01). Furthermore, the caspase-8 inhibitor effectively block the Pb-induced cell apoptosis. Taken together, our data suggest that Pb-induced TM3 cell toxic effect may involve in the Fas/FasL death receptor signaling pathway.
Source: Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research