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Characterisation of dendritic cell subsets in chronically inflamed human epididymis
Author(s) -
Duan Y.G.,
Wang P.,
Zheng W.,
Zhang Q.,
Huang W.,
Jin F.,
Cai Z.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/and.12463
Subject(s) - epididymis , cd11c , immunology , inflammation , prostatitis , dendritic cell , immune system , interleukin 3 receptor , plasmacytoid dendritic cell , biology , medicine , myeloid , andrology , prostate , sperm , biochemistry , cancer , gene , phenotype
Summary Infection and inflammation of the genital tract are thought to be a primary aetiological factor of male infertility. Chronic epididymitis appears to be more important than prostatitis or seminal vesiculitis due to the direct interaction between sperm cells and epididymal epithelium. Dendritic cells ( DC s) are a heterogeneous population of antigen‐presenting cells that play a crucial role in the regulation of the immune response and immunological tolerance. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and characteristic of different DC subsets in chronic inflammation of human epididymis and controls. Our study demonstrated that normal human epididymis contained only immature CD 1a + DC s, CD 11c + myeloid DC s (mDCs) and CD 209 + DC s whereas CD 123 + plasmacytoid DC s and CD 83 + mature DC s were virtually absent. The number of both CD 11c + IL ‐23 + mDC s and CD 123 + pDC s were significantly elevated in inflamed epididymis; meanwhile the mDC populations of CD 1a + , CD 209 + immature DC s and CD 83 + mature DC s also increased in inflamed group. Moreover, Th17 ( CD 4 + IL ‐17 + ) cells were predominantly distributed under chronic inflammation of human epididymis. Taken together these results suggest that epididymal DC s might play a pivotal role in the development of chronic epididymitis and induce an increased recruitment of Th17 cells under inflammatory conditions.