Immunopathologic Studies on Vasectomized Guinea Pigs

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Guinea pigs that had vasectomies without obvious sperm leakage developed histopathologic changes in the testis and caudal epididymis. In some animals during the first 4 months, patchy hypospermatogenesis (7-13 percent) and intraductal accumulation of macrophages (5-6 percent) were apparent. Epididymal ducts dilated and luminal spermatozoa lost their acrosomal antigens; some ducts ruptured, and epididymitis and/or granulomas ensued. These early histopathologic lesions are probably not due to immunologic mechanisms since 1) they were found in guinea pigs that showed no detectable humoral immune response to sperm, 2) they were not found in guinea pigs with leakage at their vasectomy sites who exhibited positive antisperm antibody responses, 3) they did not develop in the contralateral testes after unilateral vasectomy, 4) immunofluorescence did not reveal in vivo binding of immunoglobulin IgG or complement component C3 in the lesions, and 5) typical histologic lesions of experimental allergic orchitis were not found. However, experimental allergic orchitis may develop after a longer time interval since in 16 percent of the guinea pigs that had been vasectomized 12-24 months earlier, testicular lesions that resembled those seen in experimental allergic orchitis became apparent.