Fas regulates germ cell apoptosis in the human testis in vitro

The Fas-Fas ligand (FasL) system has been implicated in maintaining the immune privileged nature of the testis. The present report concerns the role of the Fas-FasL system in regulating germ cell apoptosis, another important function of this system in the human testis. Fas was localized immunohistochemically to the same types of germ cells that were identified as apoptotic, namely spermatocytes and spermatids. Strong expression of Fas was also observed in Western blot analysis of the human testis. Furthermore, an antagonistic antibody to the FasL blocked germ cell apoptosis induced in vitro by incubating segments of seminiferous tubules under serum- and hormone-free conditions (i.e., without survival factors). Thus Fas appears to mediate germ cell apoptosis. A universal caspase inhibitor, benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp (OMe) fluoromethylketone, also inhibited germ cell death, suggesting that Fas-associated germ cell apoptosis is mediated via the caspase pathway. The present results suggest an important role for the Fas-FasL system in the regulation of germ cell apoptosis in the human testis.