Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China.
Department of Dermatology and Allergy / Andrology Unit, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
J Reprod Immunol. 2020 Nov;142:103178. doi: 10.1016/j.jri.2020.103178. Epub 2020 Jul 12.
Natural killer (NK) cells are important effector lymphocytes that play a pivotal role in the innate and adaptive immune responses to tumors and viral infection. NKT cells are a heterogeneous group of T cells that share properties with both T cells and NK cells. They display immunoregulatory properties as they facilitate the cell-mediated immune response to tumors and infectious diseases, and inhibit cell-mediated immunity associated with autoimmune diseases and allograft rejection. However, the roles of NK and NKT cells in the male reproductive tract remain largely unexplored, in particular, NKT cells, tissue distribution, and state of health or disease. Infection and inflammation of the male genital tract are thought to be the primary etiological factors of male infertility. In this review, we considered this complex and rapidly growing field. We summarize the recent findings and the characterization and roles of NK and NKT cells in the male reproductive tract, including the testis, epididymis, prostate, seminal vesicle, and semen, to enhance our understanding of the immunological mechanisms of male infertility and for the design effective vaccines for male reproductive health in the future.
自然杀伤 (NK) 细胞是重要的效应淋巴细胞，在肿瘤和病毒感染的先天和适应性免疫反应中发挥关键作用。NKT 细胞是一群异质性的 T 细胞，它们兼具 T 细胞和 NK 细胞的特性。它们具有免疫调节特性，因为它们促进了对肿瘤和传染病的细胞介导免疫反应，并抑制了与自身免疫性疾病和同种异体移植物排斥相关的细胞介导免疫。然而，NK 和 NKT 细胞在男性生殖道中的作用在很大程度上仍未得到探索，特别是 NKT 细胞、组织分布以及健康或疾病状态。生殖道的感染和炎症被认为是男性不育的主要病因。在这篇综述中，我们考虑了这个复杂且快速发展的领域。我们总结了 NK 和 NKT 细胞在男性生殖道中的最新发现以及它们的特征和作用，包括睾丸、附睾、前列腺、精囊和精液，以增强我们对男性不育免疫机制的理解，并为未来男性生殖健康设计有效的疫苗。
