An oncological view on the blood-testis barrier.
The function of the blood-testis barrier is to protect germ cells from harmful influences; thus, it also impedes the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to the testis. The barrier has three components: first, a physicochemical barrier consisting of continuous capillaries, Sertoli cells in the tubular wall, connected together with narrow tight junctions, and a myoid-cell layer around the seminiferous tubule. Second, an efflux-pump barrier that contains P-glycoprotein in the luminal capillary endothelium and on the myoid-cell layer; and multidrug-resistance associated protein 1 located basolaterally on Sertoli cells. Third, an immunological barrier, consisting of Fas ligand on Sertoli cells. Inhibition of P-glycoprotein function offers the opportunity to increase the delivery of cytotoxic drugs to the testis. In the future, visualisation of function in the blood-testis barrier may also be helpful to identify groups of patients in whom testis conservation is safe or to select drugs that are less harmful to fertility.
Bart
Joost
J
Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine and PET Center, University Hospital Groningen, Netherlands
Groen
Harry J M
HJ
van der Graaf
Winette T A
WT
Hollema
Harry
H
Hendrikse
N Harry
NH
Vaalburg
Willem
W
Sleijfer
Dirk T
DT
de Vries
Elisabeth G E
EG
D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D001814:Blood-Testis Barrier / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1