Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the expression of the integrin isoforms α7A and β1A, expressed by myogenic precursor cells, and α7B and β1D, expressed by mature muscle cells in the cremaster of patients affected by an undescended testis. Methods: Fifteen samples of cremaster were obtained from patients undergoing surgery for an undescended testis. Thirty control specimens of cremaster were harvested from patients with congenital hydrocele or inguinal hernia. Immunofluorescent analysis was carried out using anti-α7A, β1A, α7B, and β1D integrin antibodies. Sections were observed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results: As compared with controls, a significant loss of a α7B (p = 0.0355) and β1D (p = 0.0069) integrins and a higher expression of α7A (p = 0.0003) and β1A (p = 0.0150) was detected in the cremaster of patients affected by an undescended testis. Conclusions: Our data document a critical alteration of the cytoskeleton of cremasteric smooth muscle cells in patients with an undescended testis. This might explain the altered function in smooth muscle cells in cremaster implied during testicular descent. We therefore speculate that the postnatal splicing of α7A to α7B and of β1A to β1D integrins is delayed. This could account for the common clinical scenario of spontaneous descent of the testes in the first months of life.

Keywords:
Undescended testis, Infertility, Integrins, Cremaster
1.
Arena S, Impellizzeri P, Perrone P, Scalfari G, Centorrino A, Turiaco N, Parisi S, Antonuccio P, Romeo C: Is inguinal orchidopexy still a current procedure in the treatment of intraabdominal testis in the era of laparoscopic surgery? J Pediatr Surg 2016; 4: 650–652.
2.
Hrabovszky Z, Di Pilla N, Yap T, Farmer PJ, Hutson JM, Carlin JB: Role of the gubernacular bulb in cremaster muscle development of the rats. Anat Rec 2002; 267: 159–165.
3.
Feng S, Ferlin A, Truong A, Bathgate R, Wade JD, Corbett S, Han S, Tannour-Louet M, Lamb DJ, Foresta C, Agoulnik AI: INSL3/RXFP2 signaling in testicular descent. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2009; 1160: 197–204.
4.
Hutson JM, Hasthorpe S, Heyns CF: Anatomical and functional aspects of testicular descent and cryptorchidism. Endoc Rev 1997; 18: 259–280.
5.
Tanyel FC, Ertunc M, Ekinci S, Otcu S, Yildirim M, Onur R: Chemical sympathectomy by 6-OH dopamine during fetal life results in inguinal testis through altering cremasteric contractility in rats. J Pediatr Surg 2003; 38: 1628–1632.
6.
Tanyel FC, Yüzbaşioğlu A, Kocaefe C, Orhan D, Ozgüç M: Androgen receptor immunostaining and androgen receptor messenger ribonucleic acid expression are increased in cremaster muscles associated with undescended testis. Urology 2006; 67: 855–858.
7.
Szarek M, Li R, Vikraman J, Southwell B, Hutson JM: Molecular signals governing cremaster muscle development: clues for cryptorchidism. J Pediatr Surg 2014; 49: 312–316.
8.
Tobe T, Toyota N, Matsuno Y, Komiyama M, Adachi T, Ito H, Mori C: Embryonic myosin heavy chain and troponin T isoforms remain in the cremaster muscle of adult rat cryptorchidism induced with flutamide. Arch Histol Cytol 2002; 65: 279–290.
9.
Arena S, Impellizzeri P, Perrone P, Scalfari G, Centorrino A, Turiaco N, Russo T, Antonuccio P, Romeo C: Our experience in transcrotal orchidopexy in children affected by palpable undescended testis. Eur J Pediatr Surg 2016; 26: 13–16.
10.
Cutroneo G, Arena S, Anastasi G, Cervellione RM, Grimaldi S, Di Mauro D, Speciale F, Arena F, Di Benedetto V, Favaloro A, Magno C: Altered cytoskeletal structure of smooth muscle cells in ureteropelvic junction obstruction. J Urol 2011; 185: 2314–2319.
11.
Kääriäinen M, Nissinen L, Kaufman S, Sonnenberg A, Järvinen M, Heino J, Kalimo H: Expression of α7β1 integrin splicing variants during skeletal muscle regeneration. Am J Pathol 2002; 161: 1023–1031.
12.
Ratnikov BI, Partridge AW, Ginsberg MH: Integrin activation by talin. J Thromb Haemost 2005; 3: 1783–1790.
13.
Ziober BL, Vu MP, Waleh N, Crawford J, Lin CS, Kramer RH: Alternative extracellular and cytoplasmic domains of the integrin alpha 7 subunit are differentially expressed during development. J Biol Chem 1993; 268: 26773–26783.
© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel
2018
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.