Review article Antioxidant superoxide dismutase - a review: its function, regulation in the testis, and role in male fertility

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (SODEX), an antioxidant enzyme, was found to be present in the testis at a relatively high concentration versus other organs. In a more detailed survey of several rat tissues and cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, it was shown that germ cells expressed approximately one-third that of Sertoli cells, suggesting both cell types are equipped with the machinery needed to defend themselves from radical-induced damage. When we used an in vitro model in which germ cells were co-cultured with Sertoli cells at a Sertoli:germ cell ratio of 1:1, we failed to detect any changes in the mRNA level of SOD EX. However, the addition of increasing concentrations of germ cell secretory proteins into Sertoli cell cultures resulted in a decrease in Sertoli cell SOD EX expression, illustrating that germ cells can indeed regulate Sertoli cell SOD EX. On the other hand, Sertoli cell SODEX expression was stimulated when human recombinant interleukin-1 (IL-1), a germ cell product, was included into Sertoli cells in vitro. These results, taken collectively, suggest SODEX is an important antioxidant molecule in the testis that is under germ cell regulation. © 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.