Testicular Morphology And Testosterone Levels In Dogs Treated With Antibodies To Cauda Epididymal Androgen-binding Antigen.

Abstract

Adult dogs (Alsatian crosses) were passively immunised intrascrotally or intramuscularly with antibodies generated against an epididymal cauda androgen binding antigen (CABA) for 10 days. The testes were examined histologically 10 or 30 days posttreatment. Testosterone levels were determined on blood obtained daily for 10 days before, during and after treatment. A dose-dependent exfoliation of sperm, spermatids and spermatocytes, in that order, was observed in immunised animals. This was concomitant with the ballooning of luminal ends of Sertoli cells. The effects were, however, reversible. The Leydig cells were not affected by the treatments and plasma testosterone levels before, during and after treatment remained unchanged. It is concluded that an antigen similar to CABA is present in the testis, the neutralisation of which causes testicular lesions without interfering with testosterone levels