Role of Fas/FasL genes in azoospermia or oligozoospermia induced by testosterone undecanoate in rhesus monkey

AIM: To investigate role of apoptosis related genes Fas/FasL in azoospermia or oligozoospermia induced by testosterone undecanoate. METHODS: TUNEL was used to detect the apoptotic signal of testicular cells. Immunohistochemis try and Western blot were used to quantitatively or qualitatively analyze t he expression of these apoptosis-related proteins. RESULTS: After injection of testosterone undecanoate, both the apoptotic signal in germ cells and t he expression of Fas/FasL in testis increased correlatively in a time-depen dent manner, reaching a maximum level on day 30. CONCLUSION: Fas system may initiate and regulate the germ cell apoptosis induced by testosterone unde canoate.