PMID: 11322336Jan 1, 1995Paper

TNF-alpha induces surface modifications in mouse Sertoli cells: physiopathological implications

Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology = Archivio Italiano Di Anatomia Ed Embriologia
E ZiparoE Barbacci

Abstract

The expression of the adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 has been measured in mouse Sertoli cells cultured in vitro. Cytometric analysis revealed that, in basal conditions, low levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were present on the surface of the cells, whereas treatment with TNF-alpha induced an increase in their expression. Binding experiments using both 51Cr-labelled lymphocytes, for quantitative analysis, and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that increased expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on the surface of Sertoli cells, induced by TNF-alpha, determines an augmented adhesion between the two cell types. These results suggest the presence of a specific mechanism of interaction between Sertoli and immune-competent cells, possibly involved in the control of the immune response in the testis following an inflammatory reaction in situ. Such mechanism is of interest for the understanding of auto-immune pathologies of the testis and, if confirmed in humans, it could be involved in the sexual transmission of HIV infection.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Adhesion Molecules in Health and Disease

Cell adhesion molecules are a subset of cell adhesion proteins located on the cell surface involved in binding with other cells or with the extracellular matrix in the process called cell adhesion. In essence, cell adhesion molecules help cells stick to each other and to their surroundings. Cell adhesion is a crucial component in maintaining tissue structure and function. Discover the latest research on adhesion molecule and their role in health and disease here.