Effect of testis nondescent or orchidopexy on antisperm antibodies and testis histology in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To examine effects of nondescent of normal testis and of various orchidopexy techniques on antisperm antibody (ASA) production and histologic testicular lesions.


METHODS
Experimental cohort study.


METHODS
Laboratories of surgical research and biology of reproduction, academic medical centers.


METHODS
Lewis rats, immature and adult.


METHODS
Eighteen-day-old rats (6 groups): intra-abdominal stay of testis after closure of inguinal canal, classic dartos pouch orchidopexy, orchidopexy by testis fixation through tunica albuginea, orchidopexy by transparenchymal testicular fixation, sham operation, and bilateral vasectomy. Adult rats (1 group): transparenchymal testicular fixation.


METHODS
The ASA--antiacrosome and antitail--were measured by indirect immunofluorescence in sera collected preoperatively, on 50th and 120th day in immature rats, and 90 days after surgery in adult rats. Testicular histology was also examined at the end of sera collection.


RESULTS
Neither intra-abdominal testicular localization nor orchidopexies induced significant ASA. Testicular nondescent and fixation (transparenchymal or transtunical) caused hypospermatogenesis; dartos pouch was harmless. Bilateral vasectomy produced significantly increased ASA, but no significant testicular lesions. Contralateral testes were unaffected.


CONCLUSIONS
Intra-abdominal testicular stay and orchidopexy do not elicit autoimmune response to sperm; histologic testicular lesions might not be associated with ASA. In operated cryptorchids, ASA are probably due to other reason than testicular heat or orchidopexy trauma.
Mirilas
Petros
P
Unit of Experimental Pediatric Surgery-Microsurgery, Second Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Medical School, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: pmirilas@gmail.com.
Panayiotides
Ioannis
I
Second Department of Pathology, University of Athens Medical School, "Attikon" University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Mentessidou
Anastasia
A
Unit of Experimental Pediatric Surgery-Microsurgery, Second Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Medical School, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Mavrogenis
Georgios
G
Unit of Experimental Pediatric Surgery-Microsurgery, Second Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Medical School, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Kontis
Elissaios
E
Unit of Experimental Pediatric Surgery-Microsurgery, Second Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Medical School, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Lainas
Panagiotis
P
Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Cochin-Port-Royal, Paris, France.
De Almeida
Marta
M
Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Cochin-Port-Royal, Paris, France.
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000502:physiology; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D056126:Orchiopexy / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011184:Postoperative Period; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000906:Antibodies