Histopathology of the Tubuli Recti at the Start of Experimental Autoimmune Orchitis in Mice
Overview
Molecular Biology
Pathology
Affiliations
We previously established an experimental model of autoimmune orchitis (EAO) by means of immunization with testicular germ cells (TGC) alone in mice and confirmed that the disease can be transferred to mice that had received CD4+ but not CD8+ or B lymphocytes obtained from TGC-immunized donor mice. The tubuli recti (TR) are special in that lymphocytes first accumulate around them before spreading to the peripheral seminiferous tubules in EAO. However, the minute changes in the TR remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the histopathology of the TR before the induction of spermatogenic disturbance. The results revealed that the first infiltrating lymphocytes around the TR were not only of T-cell but also of B-cell lineage. Moreover, it was also shown that some of these infiltrating lymphocytes migrated into the TR, with resultant degeneration of the TR epithelium before damage to the seminiferous epithelium. These findings indicate that TR epithelial cells are the first targets of autoreactive T and B lymphocytes in EAO.
Seco-Rovira V, Beltran-Frutos E, Martinez-Hernandez J, Madrid J, Pastor L Cells. 2025; 14(4).
PMID: 39996776 PMC: 11854908. DOI: 10.3390/cells14040305.
Microenvironment for spermatogenesis and sperm maturation.
Miyaso H, Ogawa Y, Itoh M Histochem Cell Biol. 2022; 157(3):273-285.
PMID: 35247091 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-021-02071-z.
Contribution of IL-12/IL-35 common subunit p35 to maintaining the testicular immune privilege.
Terayama H, Yoshimoto T, Hirai S, Naito M, Qu N, Hatayama N PLoS One. 2014; 9(4):e96120.
PMID: 24760014 PMC: 3997559. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096120.
Shechter R, London A, Schwartz M Nat Rev Immunol. 2013; 13(3):206-18.
PMID: 23435332 DOI: 10.1038/nri3391.
Experimental autoimmune orchitis as a model of immunological male infertility.
Naito M, Terayama H, Hirai S, Qu N, Lustig L, Itoh M Med Mol Morphol. 2012; 45(4):185-9.
PMID: 23224596 DOI: 10.1007/s00795-012-0587-2.