Humanin-mediated rescue of testicular germ cell apoptosis

男性不育的核心机制之一被认为是睾丸生殖细胞凋亡异常增加。然而，其具体机制尚不清楚，抑制睾丸生殖细胞凋亡的治疗方法尚未发展。在这项研究中，我们首先成功地建立了一种小鼠实验系统，通过给予LHRH拮抗剂西曲瑞克斯，在体内诱导小鼠睾丸生殖细胞的凋亡。其次，我们发现EH在体内起着替代人的主要作用，并成功地在细菌中纯化了大量的重组EH。

One of the central mechanism underlying male infertility has been assumed to be the abnormal increase in testicular germ cell apoptosis. However, its detailed mechanism remains unknown and the development of therapy inhibiting testicular germ cell apoptosis has not been developed. In this study, to address the question as to whether and how the Humanin/EH-mediated signal is involved in inhibition of germ cell apoptosis, we have first succeeded in developing a mouse assay system by which the administration of an LHRH-antagonist Cetrorelix induces apoptosis in mouse testicular germ cells in vivo. Second, we have found that EH plays a major role in vivo instead of Humanin and succeeded in purifying a large amount of recombinant EH in bacteria.