[Dynamic changes of the PGAM1 expression in the mouse testis exposed to single heat stress].

Objective: To investigate the expression of phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1) in the mouse testis after exposure to single heat stress (SHS).

Methods: We randomly assigned 32 C57 male mice to an SHS (n = 16) and a control group (n = 16), the former bathed in water at 43 ℃ and the latter at 25 ℃ for 15 minutes. At 1 and 7 days after exposure, we harvested the testicular tissue for observation of the morphological changes of testicular cells by HE staining and determination of the location and expression of the PGAM1 protein by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.

Results: The testis volume of the mice were reduced significantly, the spermatogenic tubules were disorganized, and the cells were reduced in number after heat stress and basically disappeared after 7 days. Immunohistochemistry showed extensive expression of the PGAM1 protein in the testicular spermatogenic tubules of the SHS-exposed mice, significantly higher than in the control group at 1 day after exposure, which was down-regulated in the testis tissue at 7 days, but still markedly higher than that in the control. Western blot exhibited significantly up-regulated expression of the PGAM1 protein after heat stress compared with that in the control group.

Conclusions: The expression of the PGAM1 protein undergoes dynamic changes in the mouse testis after exposed to single heat stress, which is related to heat stress-induced proliferation and division of testicular spermatogenic cells.