Elsevier

Fertility and Sterility

Volume 86, Issue 3, September 2006, Pages 612-618
Fertility and Sterility

Male factor
Altered expression pattern of heat shock transcription factor, Y chromosome (HSFY) may be related to altered differentiation of spermatogenic cells in testes with deteriorated spermatogenesis

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2006.01.053Get rights and content
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Objective

To evaluate the expression patterns of heat shock transcription factor, Y chromosome (HSFY), in the testes showing deteriorated spermatogenesis.

Design

Prospective study.

Setting

University hospital, its branch hospital, and academic laboratory.

Patient(s)

Men undergoing testicular biopsy for the investigation of infertility and men undergoing orchiectomy for testicular cancer.

Intervention(s)

After pathologic evaluation, specimens were subdivided into three groups: normal spermatogenesis (n = 8), maturation arrest (n = 5), and Sertoli cell–only syndrome (n = 4). Immunostaining and Western blotting techniques determined the expression of HSFY.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Expression of HSFY in testes.

Result(s)

Western blotting data revealed HSFY in the testicular tissues with normal spermatogenesis, maturation arrest, and Sertoli cell–only syndrome, but the amount of the protein in the maturation arrest and Sertoli cell–only syndrome samples was altered. The immunohistochemical data demonstrated that HSFY was expressed in spermatogenic cells and Sertoli cells in all specimens. However, the expression of HSFY was low or absent in spermatogenic cells of maturation arrest specimens, and the ratio of HSFY expressed in Sertoli cells was different in the specimens with maturation arrest and with Sertoli cell–only syndrome.

Conclusion(s)

Altered expression of the HSFY in the testis showing deteriorated spermatogenesis may be associated with alteration of spermatogenic cell differentiation.

Key Words

HSFY
spermatogenesis
male infertility
testis
Sertoli cell
spermatogenic cell

Cited by (0)

Supported by Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan.