Secondary Biliary Cholestasis Promotes Testicular Macrophage Infiltration and Autophagy in Rats

PROBLEM: Cholestasis can cause translocation of gut bacteria, and endotoxemia, and systemic inflammation. Now, little is known about the effects of cholestasis on the testicular inflammation and autophagy. METHODS: A rat biliary cholestasis model caused by common bile duct ligation (CBDL), together with biliary decompression (choledochoduodenostomy), was used. RESULTS: The magnitude of MCP-1 expression and CD68(+) macrophage infiltration within testes was progressively up-regulated in rats along with increasing duration of CBDL and was maintained at relatively high level in rats with biliary decompression. The large up-regulation of testicular ATG-12, LC3II, and autophagic vacuoles was found with the extending duration of CBDL and kept at 5 weeks following biliary decompression. The autophagic contents were a large accumulation of mitophagy in testes in rats with CBDL, and cytosol components in rats with biliary decompression. CONCLUSION: Secondary biliary cholestasis can promote inflammatory reaction and the activation of mitophagy and autophagy in testes.