IMMUNOLOGICAL-UNRESPONSIVENESS DURING INDUCTION OF EXPERIMENTAL AUTO-IMMUNE ORCHITIS IN GUINEA-PIGS - STUDIES INVIVO AND INVITRO

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 36  (1) , 95-102
Abstract
Groups of male and female guinea pigs were immunized with homologous sperm derived from testis (TS) or epididyimis (ES) in Freund''s complete adjuvant (FCA). In vivo investigations included skin tests at 2 wk and development of aspermatogenesis (testis weight) at 4 wk; in vitro assays were inhibition of migration of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) and culture of blood leukocytes (lymphocyte transformation) at weekly intervals after immunization. Antigens [Ag] used were heat-treated extracts of sperm used for immunization (BTS, BES); cells were cultured simultaneously with PPD [purified protein derivative]. Skin tests revealed anergy in males as compared with females: a larger quantity of Ag which caused partial unresponsiveness in females caused profound unresponsiveness in males although the aspermatogenesis was less severe. In vitro tests showed anergy during the active stages of the orchitis. This was non-specific for PEC (specific unresponsiveness was not excluded), but blood leukocytes showed only specific unresponsiveness to BES. The unresponsiveness may result from a desensitization by sperm Ag released during the development of aspermatogenesis.