Alterations in maternal epidermal growth factor (EGF) effect testicular descent and epididymal development.
OBJECTIVE
(1) To determine the ability of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to reverse antiandrogen-induced cryptorchidism and epididymal abnormalities; (2) to evaluate whether alterations in maternal EGF would result in abnormal testicular descent or mal development of the epididymis.


METHODS
Experiment 1: Timed pregnant ICR mice were treated with either flutamide, flutamide plus EGF, or vehicle alone on gestational days 11 through birth. Experiment 2: Maternal EGF was abolished by removing the submandibular glands. Following timed mating, dams were treated with either flutamide, anti-EGF, DHT, or vehicle alone on gestational days 11 through birth.


RESULTS
Experiment 1: Treatment with flutamide resulted in a 36 percent (26/72) incidence of undescended testes (UDT), and a 43 percent (31/72) incidence of abnormal epididymides. Rats treated simultaneously with flutamide plus EGF had a reduced incidence of UDT (14%, 6/42) and epididymal anomalies (19%, 8/42); p < 0.01. Experiment 2: The absence of maternal EGF resulted in a significant incidence of cryptorchidism in 11/50 (22%) testes, and epididymal anomalies in 19/50 (38%); p < 0.01.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that EGF stabilizes the wolffian duct system and partially mediates testicular descent.
Cain
M P
MP
Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
Kramer
S A
SA
Tindall
D J
DJ
Husmann
D A
DA
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D005485:Flutamide; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011247:Pregnancy; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology*
D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D005485:Flutamide