In this study, changes in testicular tissues of rats subjected to xylene and formaldehyde inhalation were evaluated. Three experimental groups were included in the study. Each group of rats was exposed to formaldehyde (6 ppm), technical xylene (300 ppm) or a combination of these two agents (150 ppm+3 ppm) for 8 weeks (8 h/d). Control groups were maintained for a period of eight weeks under the same conditions. Staining methods (triple staining, strep ABC method) were applied to examine histometric changes and relaxin like factor (RLF) expression in the testicular tissue. Immunostaining for RLF showed that density of staining for RLF decreased in rats exposed to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde or a combination of formaldehyde and xylene led to a decrease in seminiferous epithelial height. In conclusion, exposure of rats to formaldehyde and xylene-formaldehyde combinations adversely affects Leydig cells (RLF) and seminiferous epithelium of testicular tissue.

The present study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant, histomorphometric, histochemical, immunohistochemical, biochemical, and cytological effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) against bisphenol-A (BPA)-induced testicular toxicity in rats. A total of 40 adult male Wistar rats were divided into five equal groups. The control group remained untreated. The vehicle control group was administered corn oil (2 ml/kg/day), the BPA group was given BPA (100 mg/kg/day), the CoQ10 group was supplemented with CoQ10 (10 mg/kg/day), and the rats in the CoQ10-BPA group received CoQ10 (10 mg/kg/day) followed by BPA (100 mg/kg/day) 1 h later. The treatments were administered by oral gavage for 14 days. Results showed that the seminiferous tubule diameters (STDs) and seminiferous epithelium heights (SEHs) at stages VII–VIII and XII–XIV, number of undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor-1 (UTF-1) positive cells per tubule, UTF-1 positive tubules (%), plasma glutathione (GSH), and serum superoxide dismutase activities, testicular GSH activity and sperm viability (%) decreased whereas the number of terminal dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive cells per tubule, TUNEL positive tubules (%), testicular and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and the rate of mid-piece sperm abnormality increased in the BPA administered group. However, while the STDs at stages VII–VIII and XII–XIV, SEHs at stages VII–VIII, plasma GSH, and serum SOD activities increased, serum MDA level decreased in the CoQ10-BPA group. In conclusion, these results suggest a protective effect of CoQ10 against BPA-induced testicular toxicity in rats.

This study was undertaken to investigate the distribution of major histocompatibility complex class II positive (MHC II+) (HLA-DP-like) cells in the cow uterus (cervix, corpus and cornu uteri) and to compare these cells between the estrus and diestrus phases of the estrous cycle. Twenty-nine multiparous cows were used. Tissue samples from the middle of the cervix, the corpus and the right cornu were taken immediately after slaughter at the estrus or diestrus phase. Streptavidin-biotin peroxidase complex staining was used to detect MHC II+ cells. The number of MHC II+ cells per unit area of tissue was counted using image analysis software under a light microscope. Numerous MHC II+ cells were found in the endometrium (cervix, corpus and cornu uteri) in both estrus and diestrus. MHC II+ cells were found in the surface epithelium of the cervix uteri in diestrus, but in the corpus uteri in both estrus and diestrus and in the cornu uteri in estrus. MHC II+ cells were also found freely in the lumen of the glands and between the gland epithelia of the corpus and cornu uteri in both estrus and diestrus. There were also MHC II+ cells in the connective tissue of the myometrium and perimetrium (outside the endometrium) and around the blood vessels. Endothelial cells were frequently positive for MHC II staining. More MHC II+ cells were found in the endometrium than outside the endometrium in both estrus and diestrus (p<0.001). However, there was no difference in the numbers of positive cells between estrus and diestrus either in the endometrium or outside it. These results are the first evidence for HLA-DP-like MHC II+ cells in the bovine uterus. They indicate that antigen presentation by HLA-DP-like MHC II+ cells of the uterus is not influenced by hormonal status.

The aim of this study was to determine the localization and number of CD4- and CD8-positive T lymphocytes in bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) of the embryos and newborns or young and adult rats exposed to formaldehyde (6 ppm), technical xylene (300 ppm), or a combination of these two agents (3 ppm + 150 ppm) for 6 weeks (8 h/day). A total of 96 female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The CD4-positive cells were localized predominately in area under the epithelium and in the periphery of BALT follicles after the exposure period. However, CD8-positive cells were localized mainly in the periphery of BALT follicles after the exposure period. The number of CD4- and CD8-positive lymphocytes significantly increased in exposed young and adult rats compared to the respective controls. These results suggest that formaldehyde and/or xylene may affect the local immunity in BALT particularly in young and adult rats.

Functional capacity of digestive system and intestinal adaptive immunity are immature at hatching of broiler chicks. Therefore, intestinal innate immunity after hatching is vital to young chicks. The purpose of this study was to investigate expression and tissue distributions of several elements of the innate immune system (i.e., TLR2, TLR4, CD83, and MHC class II expressing cells) in the intestine of one-day-old chicks. For this purpose, ileum and cecum were examined the under different conditions, which included the control and 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24 h after injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and phosphate buffered saline. The findings indicated that regardless of the antigenic stimulation, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4 expressing cells were present in the intestinal tissues of one-day-old chicks. We noticed that the intestinal segments have different TLR expression levels after LPS stimulation. Dendritic cells were identified, and they left the intestinal tissue after LPS treatment. MHC class II molecules were diffusely present in both the ileum and cecum. This study demonstrates that the intestinal tissue of one-day-old chicks has remarkable defensive material, including histological properties and several elements of the innate immune system. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:604-614, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.