The Maturation of Rabbit Epididymal Spermatozoa in Organ Culture: Inhibition by Antiandrogens and Inhibitors of Ribonucleic Acid and Protein Synthesis*

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Infertile spermatozoa from the proximal corpus epididymidis will become fertile when this epididymal segment is cultured 24 h in vitro with 5.alpha.-dihydrotesterone (5.alpha.-DHT). The effect of antiandrogens and inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis upon this 5.alpha.-DHT-induced sperm maturation was investigated. The response of 5.alpha.-DHT was abolished by cyproterone acetate, SKF 7690 [17.beta.-hydroxy-17-methyl-.beta.-nor-4-androsten-3-one], actinomycin D, cycloheximide, puromycin and the aminonucleoside analog of puromycin. Addition of cyproterone acetate or actinomycin D to a suspension of distal corpus spermatozoa did not change their fertilizing ability. Culture of segments of the distal corpus for 24 h with the same antiandrogens and RNA and protein synthesis inhibitors did not change the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa. Development of the sperm-fertilizing ability observed in the proximal corpus epididymidis in vitro in response to 5.alpha.-DHT is probably dependent upon binding of 5.alpha.-DHT and synthesis of new RNA and protein molecules by the target cell. Antiandrogen and inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis apparently do not have a nonspecific toxic effect on spermatozoa during the time period studied. It is likely that the target cells are the epididymal epithelial cells rather than the spermatozoa themselves.