RETARDATION OF DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING IMMUNOGENIC EXPRESSION OF HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS IN MICE - BY POSTNATAL ADMINISTRATION OF ANTIANDROGENIC STEROID

  • 1 January 1975
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 21  (1) , 20-+
Abstract
A specific antiandrogenic steroid cyproterone acetate [CA] was administered daily to mice of 3 different inbred strains starting from the day of birth until the age of 30 days. The total dose per mouse was 17.2 mg. This treatment resulted in developmental retardation which was manifested in a number of ways: at the age of 30 days, the weight of the body as well as spleen, testes and particularly thymus was significantly reduced. Histologically, the normal proportion of the red and white pulp in the spleen was changed; spermatogenesis (but not oogenesis) was markedly retarded corresponding to the age of 12-15 days in normal males. Skin displayed a persisting immaturity as reflected by an abundance of mast cells. Minor signs of toxic changes were seen in the liver. Skin grafts from CA-pretreated donors had a subnormal immunogenicity; when transplanted across the MSA [male specific antigen]-barrier, they survived significantly longer than control grafts and about 23% took. Significantly prolonged survival was also observed with H-3 incompatible skin grafts from CA-pretreated donors, particularly from male donors. Across the barrier presented by the antigen H-2.32 a prolonged survival of grafts from CA-treated donors seemed to be indicated, but did not reach a level of significance. Previous observations concerning the androgen-dependence of a normal immunogenic expression of H-antigens are extended. The antiandrogenic effect of CA is comparable to the more complex effect of neonatal orchiectomy in terms of the subnormal immunogenicity of MSA-incompatible skin grafts from 30 day old males which seems to be arrested at a stage typical for 1-2 day old normal males.

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