SONGKLANAKARIN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Volume 42, No. 04, Month JULY, Year 2020, Pages 928 - 934

Changes of dopamine d2, alpha1 adrenergic receptor expressions and developmental stages of seminiferous tubule in rat testis after methamphetamine administration a preliminary study

Samur Thanoi , Siriporn Janphet and Sutisa Nudmamud-Thanoi

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The alterations of dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) and α1 adrenergic receptor (α1AR) expressions and developmental stages of seminiferous tubule were investigated in twenty-two male rats that underwent one of three Methamphetamine (METH) treatment regimes: acute binge (AB), escalating dose (ED) or escalating binge dose (ED-binge), in comparison with the control. The percentages of stage II seminiferous tubule were significantly decreased in ED and ED-binge groups. Reductions of D2R immunoreactivity in spermatocytes were found in all METH treated groups, while D2R reductions in elongated spermatids were found in ED and ED-binge groups. The expressions of α1AR in spermatocytes were increased in all METH treated groups as well as in round and elongated spermatids in ED and ED-binge groups. The results indicate that METH can cause changes in D2R and α1AR expressions in the testis of METH-addicted rats, which may disrupt DA and NE functions leading to changes of seminiferous epithelium development and consequently spermatogenesis impairment.

Keywords

Methamphetamine, dopamine D2 receptor, adrenergic receptor, spermatogenesis, seminiferous epithelium

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