Conditioned media of testicular macrophages (CMTM) from rats with experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO) induce apoptosis of germ cells: involvement of TNF-alpha

MS THEAS, C.RIVAL, P JACOBO, S JARAZO DIETRICH, L LUSTIG

Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Congreso; 13th International Congress of Immunology; 2007

Sociedad Brasilera de Inmunología, Unión Internacional de de Sociedades Inmunológicas, Asociación Latinoamericana de Inmunología

We induced EAO in rats by active immunization with spermatic antigens and adjuvants. A mild interstitial lymphomononuclear cell infiltrate and apoptosis of germ cells (GC) was observed at 50 days (d) after the first immunization. At 80d, cell infiltrate and apoptotic GC expressing TNF-alpha type 1 receptor increased. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of CMTM and TNF-alpha on GC apoptosis. Rats were immunized with testicular homogenate and adjuvants (EAO group) or with saline and adjuvants (control group, C). We analyzed the effect of CMTM on the viability of GC obtained from untreated normal and EAO rats (MTS method). CMTM from EAO rats of 50 and 80d did not affect viability of normal GC but significantly decreased the viability of EAO GC compared to CMTM from C (OD arbitrary units, CMTM-50d, C:104.60±3.36 OAE:87.80±4.49; CMTM-80d, C:73.57±3.82, OAE:58.80±5.25, p