Expression of the TGF-beta1 system in human testicular pathologies
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In non-obstructive azoospermia, histological patterns of Sertoli cell-only Syndrome (SCO) and hypospermatogenesis (H) are commonly found. In these pathologies, Leydig cell hyperplasia (LCH) is detected in some patients. Since TGF-β1...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Book |
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BMC,
2010-12-01T00:00:00Z.
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| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In non-obstructive azoospermia, histological patterns of Sertoli cell-only Syndrome (SCO) and hypospermatogenesis (H) are commonly found. In these pathologies, Leydig cell hyperplasia (LCH) is detected in some patients. Since TGF-β1 is involved in cellular proliferation/development, the aim of this work was to analyze the expression of TGF-β1, its receptors TGFBRII, TGFBRI (ALK-1 and ALK-5), and the co-receptor endoglin in human biopsies from patients with idiopathic infertility.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Specific immunostaining of TGF-β1, its receptors TGFBRII, TGFBRI (ALK-1 and ALK-5), co-receptor endoglin and Smads proteins, were carried out in testicular biopsies from normal and infertile men with SCO or H. Gene expression of TGF-β1 system were made in biopsies from infertile patients with semi-quantitative and quantitative PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Immunohistochemical studies revealed that TGF-β1 and its specific receptors are present in Leydig cells in biopsies from normal tissue or patients with SCO or H with or without LCH. Smad proteins, which are involved in TGF-β1 signaling, are also detected in both their phosphorylated (activated) and dephosphorylated form in all samples <it>TGF-β1, ALK-1 </it>and <it>endoglin </it>gene expression are stronger in human biopsies with LCH than in those with SCO or H. Neither <it>TGFBRII </it>nor <it>ALK-5 </it>gene expression showed significant differences between pathologies. A significant correlation between <it>ALK-1 </it>and <it>endoglin </it>expression was observed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In conclusion, the high levels of mRNA and protein expression of the TGF-β1 system in patients with LCH, particularly <it>ALK1 </it>and its correlation with <it>endoglin</it>, suggest that these proteins acting in concert might be, at least in part, committed actors in the Leydig cell hyperplasia.</p> |
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| Item Description: | 10.1186/1477-7827-8-148 1477-7827 |