Modulating the Blood-Testis Barrier Towards Increasing Drug Delivery

Baiping Mao; Tiao Bu; Dolores Mruk; Chao Li; Fei Sun; C Yan Cheng

doi:10.1016/j.tips.2020.07.002

Modulating the Blood-Testis Barrier Towards Increasing Drug Delivery

Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2020 Oct;41(10):690-700. doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2020.07.002. Epub 2020 Aug 10.

Authors

Baiping Mao¹, Tiao Bu², Dolores Mruk³, Chao Li⁴, Fei Sun⁵, C Yan Cheng⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China; The Mary M. Wohlford Laboratory for Male Contraceptive Research, Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
² Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China.
³ The Mary M. Wohlford Laboratory for Male Contraceptive Research, Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
⁵ Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China. Electronic address: sunfei@ntu.edu.cn.
⁶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China; The Mary M. Wohlford Laboratory for Male Contraceptive Research, Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA. Electronic address: yancheng01@aol.com.

PMID: 32792159
DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2020.07.002

Abstract

Testicular cells produce several biologically active peptides that exert their downstream effects by activating distinct signaling proteins. These biomolecules are now known to support spermatogenesis and effectively enhance paracellular and transcellular diffusion of drugs (e.g., adjudin) across the blood-testis barrier (BTB). We briefly discuss the biomolecules that maintain the BTB: these provide new insights into how the BTB can be modulated to allow therapeutic drugs, including male contraceptives, to be transported across the BTB and more generally across blood-tissue barriers. Information gleaned by studying the BTB, as well as other blood-tissue barriers, augments our understanding of blood-tissue barriers and provides new insights into how drugs can be delivered to organs that are effectively protected by tissue barriers.

Keywords: F5 peptide; LG3/4/5 peptide; NC1 peptide; adjudin; spermatogenesis; testis.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Blood-Testis Barrier
Contraceptive Agents, Male* / pharmacology
Drug Delivery Systems
Humans
Male
Pharmaceutical Preparations*
Spermatogenesis

Substances

Contraceptive Agents, Male
Pharmaceutical Preparations