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男性生精功能损伤中睾丸免疫微环境的改变和机理

The Changes of Testicular Immune Microenvironment in Patients with Spermatogenic Dysfunction and its Molecular Mechanisms

  • 摘要: 免疫微环境异常在多种疾病的发生、发展中扮演重要角色,但其在生殖功能异常中的生物学意义尚待深入研究。为此,我们通过生物信息学方法分析了睾丸免疫相关基因(immune-related genes, IRGs)和免疫细胞在不同生精功能状态下的表达谱,比较其差异,以期阐明生精功能低下的免疫状态改变与潜在机制。Johnsen评分用于评估生精功能损伤程度。结果表明,生精功能损伤的Johnsen 5分组和2分组较正常组(Johnsen 10分)分别有132个和293个差异表达IRGs,基因本体论(gene ontology, GO)分析显示这些IRGs富集于抗原处理与递呈、NK细胞介导的细胞毒性和TCR信号通路等。核心基因(Hub gene)分析表明,STAT3、CCL2与IL13可能在Johnsen 5分组与2分组的免疫紊乱中发挥了关键作用。进一步评估睾丸组织中免疫细胞谱,发现初始B细胞、CD4+静息记忆T细胞在生精功能严重受损的Johnsen 2分组下调。M2巨噬细胞在Johnsen 5分组与2分组均明显增加,静息肥大细胞比例则随受损程度增加而上调。上述结果揭示生精功能低下睾丸免疫豁免功能状态失衡,处于免疫应激状态。结合转录调控与染色体区带定位富集分析,推测生精功能损伤与染色体区域6p21.3有关。本研究为生精功能低下的机制研究与治疗提供了新的理论依据。

     

    Abstract: Increasing evidence suggests that tissue microenvironment play an important role in the occurrence and development of many human diseases. However, its biological significance in reproductive dysfunction remains to be explained. Here, we examined the testicular immune microenvironment, including the expression profiles of immune-related genes(IRGs) and immune cell pattern, in different spermatogenic disorders through bioinformatics analysis. Johnsen’s score is used to determine the presence of testicular damage. Compared with full spermatogenesis(Johnsen score 10), a total of 132 and 293 differentially expressed IRGs were detected in Johnsen score 5 and 2 groups, respectively. Most of the identified IRGs code for proteins that are associated with antigen processing and presentation, natural killer cell cytotoxicity and TCR signaling pathway. The hub gene analysis showed that STAT3, CCL2 and IL13 may play a central role in testicular immune disorders. Finally, the immune cell infiltration analysis revealed lower proportions of T cells CD4 memory resting and B cells na?ve in Johnsen 2 samples, whereas higher proportions of macrophages M2 were detected in both Johnsen 2 and Johnsen 5 samples. In addition, the proportion of mast cells resting increased with the degree of spermatogenic disruption. These results suggest that abnormal spermatogenesis is associated with the disruption of the balance between immune privilege and inflammation. In addition, combined with transcriptional regulation and chromosomal cytoband enrichment analysis, we found that genetic abnormalities in the chromosome region 6 p21.3 may be related to the destroy of testicular immune microenvironment. In summary, this study provided a comprehensive insight into the testicular immune microenvironment underlying testicular damdage.

     

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