Stress and testicular germ cell apoptosis.

Chronic immobilization stress provokes an increase in serum corticosterone, which causes the decline in testosterone concentration. The stress and glucocorticoid administration induce germ cell apoptosis in rat testes. The cell type that has been shown to undergo apoptosis is spermatogonia. Since a potent glucocorticoid receptor agonist completely suppressed glucocorticoid induced germ cell apoptosis, the regulation of transcription of gene mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor may enhance apoptosis of testicular germ cells. The apoptosis of testicular germ cells would involve certain specific gene activities and proteins, including Bcl-2 family, p53, and Fas. Molecular investigations may help to determine whether the different pathways possess mechanisms of germ cell apoptosis induced by somatic stress and glucocorticoids.