Immunohistochemical Analysis of Connexin43 Expression in Infertile Human Testes

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  • Matsuo Yuzo
    Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Science, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Nomata Koichiro
    Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Science, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Eguchi Jiro
    Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Science, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Aoki Daiyu
    Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Science, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Hayashi Tomayoshi
    Department of Pathology, Nagasaki University Hospital
  • Hishikawa Yoshitaka
    Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Kanetake Hiroshi
    Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Science, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Shibata Yoshisada
    Department of Radiation Epidemiology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Koji Takehiko
    Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

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Connexin43 (Cx43) is abundantly expressed in mammalian testes and implicated in the regulation of cell-to-cell interaction between germ cells and Sertoli cells, which is essential to the normal process of spermatogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the relation between Cx43 expression and the degree of spermatogenesis in infertile human testes. Immunohistochemical analysis of Cx43 was performed on testicular biopsies from 29 patients with azoospermia (n=23) and severe oligospermia (n=6), who gave informed consent to this experiment. The degree of testicular spermatogenesis was evaluated by Johnsen score. In the interstitium, immunostaining for Cx43 was localized to some focal parts of plasma membrane between neighboring Leydig cells. In seminiferous tubules with normal spermatogenesis, Cx43 expression was found between Sertoli cells and germ cells. However, Cx43 expression in maturation arrest was decreased and located mainly in the basal compartment of seminiferous tubules. Finally, there was a significant positive correlation between histological score of spermatogenesis and intensity of Cx43 (p=0.0294). These data suggest that the alteration of Cx43 expression may be involved in spermatogenic impairment, and that the communication between Sertoli cells and germ cells through Cx43 may be important for maturation of spermatogenesis.<br>

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