Walczak-Jędrzejowska Renata, Forma Ewa, Oszukowska Elżbieta, Bryś Magdalena, Marchlewska Katarzyna, Kula Krzysztof, Słowikowska-Hilczer Jolanta
Department of Andrology and Reproductive Endocrinology, Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska Str. 251, 92-213 Lodz, Poland.
Department of Cytobiochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska Str. 141/143, 90-236 Lodz, Poland.
Biology (Basel). 2022 Feb 26;11(3):373. doi: 10.3390/biology11030373.
In this study, we retrospectively investigated expression in biopsies of azoospermic men with complete (obstructive azoospermia-OA) and aberrant spermatogenesis (nonobstructive azoospermia-NOA). Each biopsy was histologically evaluated with morphometry. The testicular expression was analyzed by the immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR technique in the whole testicular tissue and in seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells after laser-capture microdissection. In laser-microdissected compartments, we also analyzed transcriptional expression of selected Leydig (, HSD17B3, ) and Sertoli cell (, , ) function markers. Immunohistochemical staining revealed expression of in the cytoplasm of Leydig and Sertoli cells. Its stronger intensity was observed in Sertoli cells of NOA biopsies. The RT-PCR analysis of the mRNA level unequivocally showed its increased expression in seminiferous tubules (i.e., Sertoli cells), not Leydig cells in NOA biopsies. This increased expression correlated positively with the transcriptional level of -a marker of Sertoli cell immaturity, as well as FSH serum level in NOA but not in the OA group. Our results clearly demonstrate altered expression in testes with primary spermatogenic impairment that might be related to Sertoli cell maturity/function.
在本研究中，我们回顾性调查了无精子症男性活检组织中的表达情况，这些男性患有完全性（梗阻性无精子症 - OA）和异常精子发生（非梗阻性无精子症 - NOA）。对每例活检组织进行组织学评估并进行形态测量。通过免疫组织化学和RT-PCR技术分析全睾丸组织、激光捕获显微切割后的生精小管和睾丸间质细胞中的睾丸表达。在激光显微切割的区域中，我们还分析了选定的睾丸间质细胞（，HSD17B3，）和支持细胞（，，）功能标志物的转录表达。免疫组织化学染色显示在睾丸间质细胞和支持细胞的细胞质中有表达。在NOA活检组织的支持细胞中观察到其强度更强。对mRNA水平的RT-PCR分析明确显示，在NOA活检组织中，其在生精小管（即支持细胞）而非睾丸间质细胞中的表达增加。这种增加的表达与支持细胞不成熟标志物 - 的转录水平以及NOA组而非OA组的血清FSH水平呈正相关。我们的结果清楚地表明，原发性生精功能障碍的睾丸中表达发生改变，这可能与支持细胞的成熟/功能有关。
