Rapamycin fails to protect spermatogonial stem cells from cisplatin-induced damage in vitro, indicating sex-specific or context-specific limits to rapamycin's cytoprotective role and suggesting male fertility preservation requires alternative strategies.
| Evidence tier | D Mechanistic / in vitro / review |
| Study type | 5 - Mechanistic / In Vitro |
| Model system | GC6-spg spermatogonial cell line |
| Journal | Reproduction & Fertility |
| Year | 2026 |
| Peer reviewed | Yes |
| Source | DOI 10.1530/RAF-26-0044 · PMID 42455795 |
This study assessed whether rapamycin could protect male spermatogonial stem cells (GC6-spg line) from cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity, analogous to its protective role reported in female fertility preservation. Rapamycin co-exposure did not prevent cisplatin-induced cell loss or damage in this spermatogonial cell line, suggesting limited utility for male fertility preservation during cancer treatment.
| Intervention | Rapamycin |
| Target | mTOR inhibition; spermatogonial stem cell survival |
| Model | Human (cell line) |
| Effect | No protective effect — rapamycin does not rescue cisplatin-induced spermatogonial stem cell loss (negative result) |