MONOCYTIC ORCHITIS AND ASPERMATOGENESIS IN NORMAL AND VASECTOMIZED RHESUS MACAQUES (MACACA-MULATTA)

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  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 101  (1) , 17-29
Abstract
The immunopathologic findings in the testes and kidneys of 25 long-term vasectomized monkeys and of 13 age-matched control animals were compared. Antisperm antibody was found in serum samples from 60% of vasectomized monkeys and in no samples from control animals. Orchitis, aspermatogenesis or both, resembling allergic orchitis, was noted in 92% of vasectomized animals and in 23% of controls. Epididymitis and epididymal granuloma occurred exclusively in the vasectomized animals (52%). By immunofluorescence, granular deposits of IgA, IgG and/or C3 [complement component 3] in the basal lamina of the ductuli efferentes and the caput epididymidis were detected in 45% of the control monkeys. In vasectomized animals, the incidence of immune deposits increased to 91% and the deposits became more widespread. Although vasectomized and control animals had IgM, IgG or both in the glomerular mesangial region, C3 was found in vasectomized monkeys only (29%). Monocytic infiltrations with aspermatogenesis in association with immune deposits along the excurrent duct apparently occur normally in subhuman primates; these changes increase in incidence after vasectomy. Although the testicular disease highly resembles allergic orchitis, an immunologic basis remains to be established.