Varicocele-induced testicular dysfunction may be associated with disruption of blood-testis barrier

Koksal I. T., Ishak Y., Usta M. F., Danisman A., Guntekin E., Bassorgun I. C., ...Daha Fazla

ARCHIVES OF ANDROLOGY, cilt.53, sa.1, ss.43-48, 2007 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 53 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2007
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/01485010600822606
  • Dergi Adı: ARCHIVES OF ANDROLOGY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.43-48
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: alpha-catenin, blood-testis barrier, E-cadherin, infertility, varicocele, CELL-ADHESION, EPITHELIAL-CELLS, ALPHA-CATENIN, E-CADHERIN, IDENTIFICATION, INFERTILITY, EXPRESSION, UVOMORULIN, REGULATOR, COMPLEX
  • Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The objective of this study was to examine E-cadherin and alpha-catenin expression at the junctions between adjacent Sertoli cells in testicular specimens from patients with varicocele in order to determine the presence of a possible link between blood-testis barrier and pathophysiology of varicocele. A total of 51 testicular biopsies were obtained from 28 infertile men with unilateral or bilateral varicocele. Twenty-three patients had bilateral and 5 had unilateral varicocele, Grade I varicocele was detected in 30 (59%), grade 11 in 15 (29%) and grade III in 6 (12%) patients. Abnormal expression of E-cadherin and (x-catenin at the junctions between adjacent Sertoli cells was demonstrated in 100% and 90% of the patients with varicocele, respectively. In those with grade I-III varicocele, the mean E-cadherin and a-catenin expression were 7.6 +/- 11.4 and 39 +/- 36; 7.6 +/- 0.0 and 49 +/- 30; 8.3 +/- 9.3 and 58 +/- 33, respectively, but the difference was not significant. Reduced E-cadherin and ot-catenin expression at the junctions between adjacent Sertoli cells may be associated with disruption of bloodtestis barrier in varicocele.