title: Anti-sperm antibodies and seminal characteristics after testicular biopsy or epididymal aspiration in dogs.
abstract: A study was performed to determine if performing testicular biopsies or epididymal aspirates in dogs would induce sperm-bound anti-sperm antibodies (ASA), affect long-term sperm production or semen quality. Semen was collected from 8 mature dogs 3 times a week before and after hemicastration and then 3 times a week after testicular biopsy (n=3 and 1 control) or epididymal aspiration (n=3 and 1 control). Detection of anti-sperm IgG (ASA) on sperm cells was performed by flow cytometry analysis using a flow cytometer. Two dogs with testicular biopsies became positive for ASA 16 d after testicular biopsy and remained positive for 7 and 9 d, respectively. One dog that had an epididymal aspirate became positive 13 d after epididymal aspiration and remained positive for 35 d. One dog became positive 21 d after hemicastration and remained positive for 28 d. Sperm output declined significantly in 7 of 8 dogs after hemicastration. A control epididymal aspirate treatment dog had decreased sperm output, and a testicular biopsy treatment dog had increased sperm output. None of the dogs with ASA had significant changes in sperm output after treatment. Sperm motility declined significantly in 3 dogs after hemicastration. An epididymal aspiration treatment dog had a decrease in sperm motility, a control epididymal aspirate treatment dog and a control testicular biopsy treatment dog each had increases in sperm motility. None of the dogs with ASA had significant changes in motility. The percentage of normal spermatozoa significantly decreased in 3 dogs and significantly increased in 1 dog after hemicastration. Two dogs that had testicular biopsies and 1 dog that had an epididymal aspiration had decreases in percent normal sperm. Two of 3 dogs with decreases in percent normal sperm after treatment had ASA, but 2 dogs with ASA had no change in motility. Hemicastration, epididymal aspiration, and testicular biopsy can induce ASA production within 2 wk of the procedure, but ASA are transient and do not have a predictably negative effect on total sperm output or motility. Testicular biopsy and epididymal aspiration are safe diagnostic procedures, but further work investigating post-treatment fertility must be done before final conclusions can be made.
authors.affiliation: Physiology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zaki
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Eilts
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Paccamonti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hosgood
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Horohov
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Blouin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects; D004285:Dogs; D004822:Epididymis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013396:Suction / Q000009:adverse effects; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies