title: Sperm protection in the male reproductive tract by Toll-like receptors.
abstract: Sperm function can be affected by infection. Our understanding of innate immune system molecular mechanisms has been expanded, by the discovery of 'Toll-like receptors' (TLRs). It seems that these receptors could play a critical role in the protection of spermatozoa. This study seeks to examine the presence and distribution of TLRs in different parts of the human male reproductive tract and spermatozoa. So, TLR gene expression was examined by RT-PCR. Quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR) analysis used to compare the expression of TLRs in all sections of the male reproductive tract and TLRs 2, 3 and 4 in testicular sperm extraction (TESE) samples, which contained spermatozoa (TESE+) and those that did not (TESE-). Results showed that all TLR genes were expressed in different parts of the human male reproductive tract and spermatozoa. Moreover, Q-PCR indicated that the relative expression of TLRs did not significantly change in different parts of the male reproductive tract but this technique has shown only relative TLR2 expression in TESE- is lower than TESE+ samples. It could be concluded that TLRs may provide a broad spectrum of protection from infection in the male reproductive tract. Furthermore, TLRs may influence on the developmental process during spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility at Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saeidi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shapouri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amirchaghmaghi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoseinifar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabbaghian
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sadighi Gilani
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Pacey
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aflatoonian
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
keywords: Innate immunity; Toll-like receptors; male reproductive tract; spermatozoa; testicular sperm extraction