Zinc attenuates ethanol-induced Sertoli cell toxicity and apoptosis through caspase-3 mediated pathways

Ethanol
enhances
apoptosis
in
testicular
germ
cells.
Zinc
reduces
ethanol-induced
apoptosis
of
somatic
cells
through
inhibition
of
caspase-mediated
pathways.
Little
is
known
about
the
effects
of
ethanol
on
Sertoli
cells
and
the
effects
of
Zinc
on
ethanol-induced
testicular
injury.
The
hypothesis
tested
was
that
ethanol
enhances
apoptosis
of
Sertoli
cells
through
up-regulation
of
caspase-3
and
Zinc
inhibits
ethanol-
induced
effects.
Cultured
Sertoli
cells
(TM4)
were
exposed
to
ethanol
(160
mM),
Zinc
(8
�
M)
and
Zinc
prior
to
ethanol
for
duration
of
24
or
48
h
and
their
effects
on
TM4
cell
viability
was
then
investigated
by
MTT
assay.
Caspase-3
mRNA
expression
was
also
investigated
using
real-time
RT-PCR.
Cell
viability
decreased
and
caspase-3
mRNA
expresstion
increased
in
cells
exposed
to
ethanol,
while
exposure
to
Zinc
showed
opposite
effects.
Pretreatment
with
Zinc
recovered
ethanol-induced
anti-proliferative
effects
and
over-expression
of
caspase-3.
Zinc
reduced
ethanol-induced
Sertoli
cell
toxicity
and
apoptosis
via
caspase-3
mediated
pathways