Mechanisms of testicular immune privilege

查看全文 作　　者：Tao [1]WANG;Xueying [1]FENG;Daishu [1]HAN 机构地区：[1]Department of Cell Biology,School of Basic Medicine,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences&Peking Union Medical College,Beijing 100005,China 出　　处：《Frontiers in Biology》索引2011年第6卷第1期,共12页 基　　金：the Special Funds for Major State Basic Research Project of China(No.2007CB947504);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.30971459). 摘　　要：The testis exhibits a distinctive form of immune privilege to protect the germ cells from the host immuneattack. The property of testicular immune privilege was originally attributed to the blood-testis barrier in theseminiferous epithelium, which sequesters antigens. Recent studies have uncovered several levels of immune controlbesides the blood-testis barrier involved in the privilege of the testis, including the mechanisms of immune tolerance,reduced immune activation, localized active immunosuppression and antigen-specific immunoregulation. The somaticcells of the testis, especially Sertoli cells, play a key role in regulating the testicular immune privileged status. Theconstitutive expression of anti-inflammatory factors in the testis by somatic cells is essential for local immunosuppression.Growing evidence shows that androgens orchestrate the inhibition of proinflammatory factors and shift cytokinebalance toward a tolerogenic environment. Disruption of these protective mechanisms, which may be caused by trauma,infection and genetic factors, can lead to orchitis and infertility. This review article highlights the unique immuneenvironment of the testis, particularly focuses on the regulation of testicular immune privilege. 关 键 词：immune privilege TESTIS IMMUNOREGULATION SPERMATOGENESIS