Ultrastructure of Testis & Cerebellum in DSS-Treated Mice, a Model for IBD

Abstract

Mice fed with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) exhibit signs closely related to those found in the human inflammatory bowel disorders of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. It is thought that cytokines released from immune cells of the inflamed GI tract induce vascular leakage and physiological changes in gut and other tissues, such as kidney and brain. We hypothesized that DSS-induced changes might include changes to the ultrastructure of the capillaries of affected tissues. As part of a larger study, we examined the ultrastructure of capillaries of testes and cerebellum of DSS-treated mice. To do this, tissues were perfusion-fixed and prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Marked changes, previously unreported, occurred in capillaries of the interstitial tissue of the testis, including abnormal numbers of protrusions, atypical tight junction complexes, and irregular apical membranes of endothelial cells. Leydig and germ cells of the seminiferous tubules, however, appeared normal at the ultrastructural level. Neither capillaries, nerve cells, nor synapses within the cerebellum showed differences from controls.