Caspase signalling pathways in human spermatogenesis.
OBJECTIVE
Little is known about the apoptotic mechanisms involved in abnormal spermatogenesis. In order to describe the significance of apoptosis in azoospermia, testicular tissue from abnormal spermatogenesis was analysed.


METHODS
Testicular treatment biopsies were obtained from 27 men. Five presented oligozoospermia, 9 obstructive azoospermia (4 congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens; 5 secondary azoospermia) and 13 non-obstructive azoospermia (5 hypospermatogenis; 3 maturation arrest; 5 Sertoli-cell-only syndrome). Immunohistochemical staining was performed for active caspases-3, -8 and -9. The presence of active caspases in Sertoli cells and germ cells was analyzed using stereological tools.


RESULTS
Increased active caspase-3 was found in Sertoli-cell-only syndrome. No significant differences were found in maturation arrest. In hypospermatogenesis, primary spermatocytes were the germ cells with higher active caspases. Oligozoospermia and secondary obstruction showed significant differences among germ cells for the presence of all active caspases. In oligozoospermia, spermatogonia presented significant increased active caspase-9 in relation to active caspase-8. In primary obstruction and hypospermatogenesis, germ cells presented significant increased active caspases-3 and -9.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that increased active caspase-3 might be involved in Sertoli-cell-only syndrome etiology. In cases of hypospermatogenesis, intrinsic lesions at the meiotic stage seem to be related to the pathology. In secondary obstruction apoptosis is suggested to be initiated due to extrinsic and intrinsic lesions, whereas in primary obstruction only the intrinsic apoptotic pathway seems to be present. Finally, in oligozoospermic patients spermatogonia death by mitochondrial damage additionally to meiosis malfunctioning, might be on the origin of the decreased sperm output.
Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, 4200-319, Portugal. carola@med.up.pt
Carolina
C
Almeida
Sofia
S
Correia
Eduardo
E
Rocha
Angela
A
Alves
Luís
L
Ferraz
Joquina
J
Silva
Mário
M
Sousa
Alberto
A
Barros
D053713:Azoospermia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000201:enzymology; D054331:Sertoli Cell-Only Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000201:enzymology*
D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases