Assessment of potential Metformin effects on blood-testis barrier (BTB) function in juvenile rats

RINDONE GUSTAVO MARCELO; GORGA AGOSTINA; CENTOLA CECILIA LUCIA; SOBARZO CRISTIAN M; PELLIZZARI ELIANA H; CAMBEROS MARÍA DEL CARMEN; GALARDO M NOEL; MERONI SILVINA B; RIERA M FERNANDA

Virtual

Congreso; Reunion Anual de Sociedades de Biociencias; 2020

Sociedad Argentina de investigación Clinica

Sertoli cells (SC) are the main cellular component of the BTB as intercellular junctions between neighboring SC set up the physical interaction of this structure. The BTB isolates germ cells (GC) providing an adequate microenvironment for GC development. Concordantly, several animal models have shown that defects in the BTB lead to detrimental effects on spermatogenesis. Metformin (Met) is the first-line therapy for children suffering type 2 diabetes. However, no studies have been conducted to assess if early life exposure to Met represents any potential risk to BTB function. The objective of this work was to analyze the in vitro and in vivo effects of Met on BTB integrity and expression of BTB-related proteins during BTB formation. SC isolated from 20-day-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were incubated in basal conditions or with testosterone (T, 1 µM) (a known positive BTB regulator) in the absence or presence of Met 10 mM. P