Bigazzi P E, Kosuda L L, Hsu K C, Andres G A
J Exp Med. 1976 Feb 1;143(2):382-404. doi: 10.1084/jem.143.2.382.
The results of the present study show that bilaterally vasectomized rabbits with high levels of antibodies to sperm antigens frequently develop an orchitis associated with granular deposits of rabbit IgG and C3 in the basement membranes of seminiferous tubules. The immune deposits correspond in location to electron-opaque deposits seen by electron microscopy. The "membranous orchitis" is characterized by thickening of tubular basement membranes, acc-mulation of macrophages and a few polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and destruction of the basal lamina, of the Sertoli and spermatogenetic cells. The pathogenetic role of the immune deposits and the possibility that they contain antigen-antibody complexes is indicated by: (a) selective accumulation of IgG and C3 granular deposits along the basement membranes of seminiferous tubules in rabbits producing high and persistent levels of antibodies to sperm antigens; (b) the elution of immunoglobulins from tissues with chaotropic ion-containing buffers, acid buffers, or heat; (c) the observation that the immuno-globulins accumulated in the testis contain antibody to sperm antigens; and (d) the demonstration of sperm antigens in a location similar to that of IgG and C3. It is postulated that sperm antigen-antibody complexes are formed in the basement membranes of seminiferous tubules when antigens leaking out of the tubules react with specific antibody coming from the circulation. In two rabbits with higher levels of circulating antisperm antibodies and severe orchitis, granular deposits of IgG and C3 were also present in renal glomeruli. Immunoglobulins eluted from the kidneys contained antibody with antisperm activity. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that in some vasectomized rabbits extratesticular lesions may develop by a mechanism comparable to that of chronic serum sickness.
本研究结果表明，双侧输精管切除且精子抗原抗体水平高的兔子，常发生睾丸炎，伴有生精小管基底膜中兔IgG和C3的颗粒沉积。免疫沉积物的位置与电子显微镜下所见的电子致密沉积物一致。“膜性睾丸炎”的特征是管状基底膜增厚、巨噬细胞和少量多形核白细胞积聚以及支持细胞和生精细胞的基膜破坏。免疫沉积物的致病作用以及它们含有抗原 - 抗体复合物的可能性体现在以下方面：（a）在产生高且持续水平精子抗原抗体的兔子中，IgG和C3颗粒沉积物沿生精小管基底膜选择性积聚；（b）用含离液剂离子的缓冲液、酸性缓冲液或加热从组织中洗脱免疫球蛋白；（c）观察到睾丸中积聚的免疫球蛋白含有精子抗原抗体；（d）在与IgG和C3相似的位置证明有精子抗原。据推测，当从小管中漏出的抗原与来自循环的特异性抗体反应时，精子抗原 - 抗体复合物在生精小管的基底膜中形成。在两只循环抗精子抗体水平较高且患有严重睾丸炎的兔子中，肾小球中也存在IgG和C3的颗粒沉积。从肾脏洗脱的免疫球蛋白含有具有抗精子活性的抗体。这些发现与以下假设一致，即在一些输精管切除的兔子中，睾丸外病变可能通过与慢性血清病类似的机制发展。
