Dual role of immune cells in the testis: protective or pathogenic for germ cells?

PÉREZ CECILIA VALERIA; THEAS MARÍA SUSANA; JACOBO PATRICIA VERÓNICA; JARAZO DIETRICH SABRINA; GUAZZONE VANESA ANABELLA; LUSTIG LIVIA

Spermatogenesis

Landes Bioscience

Año: 2013 vol. 3 p. 1 - 12

2156-5562

Thepurpose of this review is to describe how the immune cells present in the testis interact with the germinal epithelium contributing to survival or apoptosis of germ cells (GCs). Physiologically, the immunosuppressor testicular microenvironment protects GCs from immune attack, whereas in inflammatory conditions, tolerance is disrupted and immune cells and their mediators respond to GC self antigens, inducing damage of the germinal epithelium. Considering that experimental models of autoimmune orchitis have clarified the local immune mechanisms by which protection of the testis is compromised, we described the following topics in the testis of normal and orchitic rats: (1) cell adhesion molecule expression of seminiferous tubule specialized junctions and modulation of blood-testis barrier permeability by cytokines (2) phenotypic and functional characteristics of testicular dendritic cells, macrophages, effector and regulatory T cells and mast cells and (3) effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and Fas L) and the nitric oxide-nitric oxide synthase system on GC apoptosis .