title: Toll-like receptor 3-initiated antiviral responses in mouse male germ cells in vitro.
abstract: The testis is an immunoprivileged site where local cell-initiated innate immunity plays a crucial role in antimicrobial responses. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) mediate innate immune responses in testicular somatic cells. Although several TLRs are expressed in some stages of male germ cells, the potential role of TLRs in triggering antimicrobial responses in the germ cells has yet to be exclusively studied. The current study demonstrates that TLR3 is constitutively expressed in spermatogonia and spermatocytes and can be activated by a synthetic double-strained RNA analog, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid. TLR3 activation in these male germ cells up-regulates the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin IL1B, IL6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, through activation of nuclear factor kappa B; it also induces production of type 1 interferons (IFNA and IFNB) through the activation of IFN regulatory factor 3. In addition, TLR3 activation increases the production of two major antiviral proteins, namely, double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase and MX1 protein, by germ cells. Data in this article describe an antiviral response of male germ cells through the activation of TLR3 in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qiaoyuan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Yongmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Daishu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D007369:Interferon Inducers / Q000494:pharmacology; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000494:pharmacology; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007369:Interferon Inducers; D007370:Interferon Type I; C579070:Mx1 protein, mouse; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; C519703:TLR3 protein, mouse; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D011070:Poly I-C