Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) promotes cell survival during spermatogenesis, and this effect can be blocked by infliximab, a TNF-alpha antagonist

Abstract

The present study demonstrates that TNF-alpha promotes cell survival in the rat seminiferous epithelium, and this effect can be blocked by infliximab. This is the first study to show the effects of infliximab in the testis. The prosurvival effect of TNF-alpha might be at least partly mediated by modulating the expression and subcellular localization of Bcl-2 family proteins.