Human Reproduction, Vol. 17, No. 7, 1811-1819,
July 2002
© 2002 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
In-vitro effects of FSH and testosterone withdrawal on caspase activation and DNA fragmentation in different cell types of human seminiferous epithelium
1 Molecular Assisted Reproduction & Genetics, Gracia 36, 18002 Granada, Spain, 2 Laboratoire d'Eylau, 55 Rue Saint-Didier, 75116 Paris, France, 3 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Granada Faculty of Sciences, Campus Universitario `Fuentenueva', 18071 Granada, Spain and 4 Center of Reproductive Medicine, European Hospital, Via Portuense 700, 00149 Rome, Italy
BACKGROUND: Caspases are downstream elements of apoptosis-mediating pathways initiated by the Fas ligand/Fas receptor system which is supposed to play a central role in the regulation of apoptosis in the human seminiferous epithelium. However, caspase activity in different cell types of this epithelium has never been addressed. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated caspase activity and DNA integrity in Sertoli and germ cells within in-vitro cultured segments of human seminiferous tubules after induction of apoptosis by FSH or testosterone withdrawal. FSH withdrawal increased the incidence of DNA fragmentation in meiotic (primary spermatocytes) and post-meiotic (spermatids) germ cells without producing any detectable effect on caspase activity in these cells and without affecting DNA integrity or caspase activity in Sertoli cells. Testosterone withdrawal stimulated caspase activity and produced DNA fragmentation in Sertoli cells, but showed only a weak effect on DNA fragmentation in germ cells and did not alter germ cell caspase activity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the central role of caspases in apoptosis of Sertoli cells. However, they also suggest that acute apoptosis of germ cells in the adult human testis occurs in a caspase-independent way and is controlled by Sertoli cells via an as yet undetermined mechanism.
Key words: caspase activity/DNA fragmentation/FSH/seminiferous epithelium/testosterone
5 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: MAR&Gen, Gracia 36, 18002 Granada, Spain. E-mail: cmendoza{at}ugr.es
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