Caspase-3 and VEGF immunopositivity in seminiferous tubule germ cells in cases of obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia in smokers versus non-smokers.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate immunostaining pattern of caspase-3, an apoptosis marker, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an hypoxia marker in testis biopsy specimens collected either from smoking or non-smoking patients with azoospermia.


METHODS
Testis biopsy specimens were obtained from thirty seven non-smoker and thirty eight smoker patients. Using immunochemistry technique, caspase-3 and VEGF were evaluated in all intratubular spermatogenic and interstitial Leydig cells.


RESULTS
Caspase-3 expression was significantly increased in germ cells in maturation arrest specimens in smoker azoospermic patients. No statistically significant difference was present between smokers and non-smokers for caspase-3 expression in Sertoli cell. However, the VEGF immunopositive Leydig cells were statistically higher in smokers. There were no differences between groups in terms of germ cell immunopositivity.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results support the hypothesis that increased apoptosis contributes significantly to impaired spermatogenesis. We conjecture that germ cell apoptosis may be augmented by hypoxic microenvironments and environmental toxicants in smoking azoospermic men.
Kilic
Sevtap
S
Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF, Dr Zekai Tahir BURAK Women Health, Education and Research Hospital, Cebeci, Ankara, Turkey. sevtapkilic@gmail.com
Lortlar
Nese
N
Bardakci
Yesim
Y
Ozdemir
Erkan
E
Yuksel
Beril
B
Ozturk
Ufuk
U
Budak
Gurer
G
Dogan
Muammer
M
D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D053148:Caspase 3