Photoperiod-Dependent Effects of 4-tert-Octylphenol on Adherens and Gap Junction Proteins in Bank Vole Seminiferous Tubules

Figure 1

Immunohistochemical localization of N-cadherin (a)–(d), β-catenin (e)–(h), and connexin 43 (Cx43) (i)–(l) in the testes of bank voles kept in long (18L : 6D) or short (6L : 18D) photoperiod treated with vehicle (control) or 4-tert-octylphenol for 60 days (OP60). Scale bars represent 20 μm. (a)–(d) Immunohistochemical localization of N-cadherin. (a) In control 18L : 6D males strong, linear staining at the region of blood-testis barrier and discrete punctuate staining in the adluminal compartment is observed (arrows). (b) Reduced intensity and delocalization of the staining following OP60 treatment (arrows). (c) In control 6L : 18D voles weak staining extends through much of the epithelium (arrows). (d) In OP60 tubules enhanced staining is visible (arrows). No signal was detected when anti-N-cadherin antibody was omitted (insert in (c)). (e)–(h) Immunohistochemical localization of β-catenin. (e) Typical distribution of β-catenin signal is seen in the basal compartment of seminiferous epithelium and at the regions of membrane apposition of adjacent Sertoli cell and elongated spermatids (arrows) in the testes of control 18L : 6D males. (f) Note decreased intensity of the staining at the blood-testis barrier site (arrows) and loss of the signal in the adluminal compartment in OP60 voles. (g) In the tubules of 6L : 18D animals weak staining is dispersed in the seminiferous epithelium (arrows). (h) Increased staining intensity in the basal compartment in OP60 males (arrows). No signal was detected when anti-β-catenin antibody was omitted (insert in (g)). (i)–(l) Immunohistochemical localization of connexin 43 (Cx43). (i) In the tubules of control 18L : 6D males Cx43 is seen predominantly between Sertoli cells and spermatogonia or pachytene spermatocytes and in the cytoplasm of some Sertoli cells as well as at Sertoli cell-spermatid junctions (arrows). Note strong linear staining between Leydig cells (small arrows). (j) In OP60 males Cx43 signal is localized in the form of irregular lines or distinct foci between the cells (arrows) and sometimes in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells (asterisks). Cytoplasmic staining is present in most Leydig cells (small arrow; insert). (k) In the tubules of 6L : 18D voles irregular and discontinuous signal is visible (arrows). Frequently, the staining is confined to the cytoplasm of the cells (asterisks). In Leydig cells, staining of moderate intensity is detected in the cytoplasm (small arrow; insert). (l) Note altered staining pattern in OP60 animals; signal visible at the entire surfaces of Sertoli and germ cells (arrows). Very week staining in Leydig cell cytoplasm (small arrow). No signal was detected when anti-Cx43 antibody was omitted (insert in (l)).