非梗阻性无精子症患者的表皮生长因子及受体表达

目的:探讨血清表皮生长因子(EGF)和睾丸组织表皮生长因子受体(EGF-R)与非梗阻性无精子症睾丸生精功能障碍的关系。方法:采用放免法对20例无精子症患者和20例已育男性志愿者进行血清EGF测定;无精子症患者接受睾丸活检,病理检查按Johnson评分法评价睾丸精子发生及障碍的程度;采用免疫组化SABC法对睾丸3种主要细胞进行EGF-R表达的检测。结果:无精子症患者血清EGF浓度明显低于男性对照者(P<0.05)。睾丸活检生精功能评为8分者14例;3分者2例;6、5、4和 2分者各1例。在20例无精子症睾丸的间质细胞、支持细胞和生精细胞均有EGF-R的表达,间质细胞EGF-R强阳性和阳性表达明显低于支持细胞和生精细胞(P<0.05)。结论:无精子症患者血清EGF浓度下降、间质细胞EGF-R强阳性和阳性表达的减少与睾丸生精功能障碍的程度是相一致的,说明血清EGF及睾丸EGF-R在调节睾丸生精功能方面有重要的作用。

Expression of Epidermal Growth Factor and Its Receptor in Patients with Non-obstructive Azoospermia

Objective: To explore the relationship between the expression of serum epidermal growth factor (EGF) as well as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) in testis and the dysspermatogenesis in patient with non-obstructive azoospermis. Methods: Serum EGF level were detected with the method of radioimmunoassay (RIA) in 20 patients with azoospermia and 20 married volunteers. Twny patients with azoospermia were given testicular biopsy and routine pathological examination, and the degree of normal and deranged spermatogenesis were evaluated according to Johnson ten-grade score method. The expression of EGF-R was detected by SABC method of immunohistochemistry on three kinds main cells of the testicular biopsy tissue. Results: Serum EGF level in azoospermia patients was significantly decreased as compared with volunteers. According to Johnson score method, 14 patients were grade 8, 2 patients were grade 3, 1 patient were grade 6,5,4 and 2 respectively. EGF-R had expressed on Sertoli cells, Leydig cells and spermatogenic cells in 20 patients with azoospermia. The expressive number of Sertoli cells were lower than that of Leydig cells and spermatogenic cells on positive and strong positive expression of EGF-R (P< 0. 05). Conclusion:Decreased level of serum EGF and the lower expression of Leydig cells in azoospermia patients were consistent with testicular spermatogenesis deficiency. Serum EGF and testicular EGF-R may play an important role in spermatogenesis of testis.