Alcohol Alters Blood-testis Barrier Function in an in vitro Model
Abstract
Structured Abstract Objective This study aims to investigate the impacts of alcohol on blood-testis barrier integrity using a novel in vitro model and to elucidate potential non-hormonal mechanisms underlying alcohologenic reversible azoospermia. Design Primary rhesus macaque Sertoli cells were exposed to ethanol to evaluate dose-dependent effects on BTB integrity. Barrier function was assessed through electrical resistance and permeability assays, with recovery evaluated after a 48-hour withdrawal period. Gene expression of Sertoli cell and tight junction markers and cytokine levels associated with barrier degradation were analyzed. Subjects Primary rhesus macaque Sertoli cells were used. Exposure Clinically relevant concentrations (10, 60, and 100 mM), equivalent to 1-2 drinks to requiring hospitalization, of ethanol were used. Main Outcome Measures The main outcome measures were BTB integrity and permeability, assessed via transepithelial electrical resistance and Dye Flux assays, recovery of barrier function after ethanol withdrawal, gene expression changes in Sertoli cell and tight junction markers, and cytokine levels associated with barrier impairment. These metrics evaluated the functional and molecular impacts of in vitro ethanol exposure on the BTB. Results Ethanol exposure was associated with a dose-dependent decrease in BTB integrity, with partial recovery observed at lower concentrations (10 and 60 mM) after 48 hours of withdrawal, but not at 100 mM.…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Improving the translation of search strategies using the Polyglot Search Translator: a randomized controlled trial
- Nutritional, Physical, Cognitive, and Combination Interventions and Frailty Reversal Among Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with COVID-19 severity in patients with haematological malignancies in Italy: a retrospective, multicentre, cohort study
- A randomized, controlled trial of oral propranolol in infantile hemangioma
- Clinical phenotypes of delirium during critical illness and severity of subsequent long-term cognitive impairment: a prospective cohort study
- Increased physical activity improves sleep and mood outcomes in inactive people with insomnia: a randomized controlled trial
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.