Morphometric and immunohistochemical image analysis in pre-pubertal lamb testes after prenatal betamethasone treatment

Stereological evaluation provides information about morphometric changes that can occur in a tissue of interest. In the present study, we used image analysis to determine the effect of prenatal exposure to betamethasone during the third trimester of gestation on testicular tissue. Apoptotic enzyme immunoexpression and morphometric parameters were quantified in pre-pubertal lamb testes. Image analysis programs were used to calculate% of immunostained area and morphometric parameters. Sex cord diameter (betamethasone 42.0 ± 0.4 μm versus saline 50.0 ± 0.4 μm; p = 0.001) and volume density (betamethasone 46.0 ± 0.9% versus saline 49.1 ± 0.8%; p = 0.01) were reduced in the betamethasone group. In addition, active caspase-3 immunoexpression also decreased in betamethasone group (24.2 ± 0.2% versus 23.3 ± 0.3%; p = 0.01). The morphometric testicular changes suggest that prenatal betamethasone treatment might influence postnatal development. Decreases in caspase-3 immunoexpression can lead to a reduction in the normal apoptotic process with negative consequences for future spermatogenesis. © 2012 Taylor & Francis Group.