The role of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha and its receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2 in the local regulatory system of normal and impaired human spermatogenesis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of genes coding for selected cytokines with antagonistic functions (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha) as well as TNF-alpha receptors (TNFR1 and TNFR2) in correct spermatogenesis (normal proliferation), maturation arrest (proliferation inhibited) and testicular tumors (overgrowth).


METHODS
Transcription levels of genes coding for IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, TNFR1 and TNFR2 were quantitatively examined using a real-time RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Significantly higher amounts of IL-6 mRNA were observed in testicular tumor samples than in normal spermatogenesis or in some syndromes with maturation arrest (MA at spermatid level or SCOS), while IL-10 gene levels were fairly stable. In homogenates with maturation arrest, the expression of TNFR1 gene was markedly higher than in testicular tumors, while the opposite phenomenon was found in respect to TNFR2 gene.


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained indicate that changes in activities of intra-testicular cytokines may promote different distinct pathologies such as testicular cancer or infertility.
Białas
Małgorzata
M
Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań 60-479, Poland.
Fiszer
Dorota
D
Rozwadowska
Natalia
N
Kosicki
Włodzimierz
W
Jedrzejczak
Piotr
P
Kurpisz
Maciej
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000235:genetics*; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II / Q000235:genetics*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D015850:Interleukin-6; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10