Effects of Castration, Depo‐Testosterone and Cyproterone Acetate on Lymphocyte T Subsets in Mouse Thymus and Spleen

Abstract
The effects of testosterone on the relative proportion of Thy 1.2, CD4 (L3T4) and CD8 (Lyt‐2) cells in thymus and spleen were studied after castration and administration of Depo‐testosterone (DT) separately or together with cyproterone acetate (CA) (an antiandrogen) in BDFI mice. Injection of 0.5 mg/100 g body weight of DT during 2 weeks decreased significantly the number and proportion of double positive (DP) (CD4+ CD8+) and increased the percentage of single positive (SP) CD4+ (CD4+ CD8), whereas there was a slight decrease in the Thy 1.2+ cells in the thymus. In parallel, we observed an increase in CD8+ (CD4 CD8+) cells in the spleen. The androgen deprivation after 3 weeks of castration induced a decrease in the percentage of CD4” cells in thymus and both CD4+ and CD8+ cells in spleen. Injection of CA (0.5 mg/100 g body weight) had the same qualitative effects as DT on the proportion of lymphocyte T subsets in castrated mice. However, the combined activities of DT and CA were greater than either alone. These data indicate the main role of testosterone in the distribution of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in male mice. The similar effects of CA and DT in the lymphoid organs may suggest a difference between androgen receptors of sexual and lymphoid organs.