Greskovich F, Mathur S, Nyberg L M, Collins B S
Department of Urology, Medical University, Charleston, SC 29425.
Arch Androl. 1993 May-Jun;30(3):183-91. doi: 10.3109/01485019308987755.
This investigation was conducted to evaluate whether or not experimentally produced epididymitis could induce the development of cytotoxic sperm antibodies and if effective antibiotic therapy could reverse the development of immunity to sperm. Escherichia coli was injected into the tail of the epididymis in adult Lewis rats to induce epididymitis and was allowed to incubate for 24 h, 72 h, 8 days, or 15 days. Serum titers of cytotoxic sperm antibodies at these time intervals were determined. Sperm antibody titers began to rise 3 days after inoculation, peaked, and plateaued at 8 days. The titers were negligible in the control rats. Two other groups of rats were inoculated with E. coli in a similar manner and were treated with tetracycline 25 mg/kg/day starting at either 24 h or 8 days after inoculation, for 7 days. The antibody titers became negligible in these two treated groups, the results being statistically significant when contrasted with the infected but untreated groups (p < .001 and < .05, respectively, for the 24-h and 8-day groups). However, histological examination of the antibiotic-treated and untreated specimens revealed significant inflammation and infection of the epididymis in both treated groups. Testicular alterations were consistent in both groups. It is concluded that epididymitis consequent to infection with E. coli can induce cytotoxic antibody formation in Lewis rats. Treatment with appropriate antibiotics may suppress the antibody response either through a direct immunosuppressive effect of the antibiotic or through a decrease in the antigenic load of killed sperm secondary to eradication of the infection.
本研究旨在评估实验性诱发的附睾炎是否会导致细胞毒性精子抗体的产生，以及有效的抗生素治疗能否逆转对精子的免疫反应。将大肠杆菌注入成年Lewis大鼠的附睾尾部以诱发附睾炎，并使其孵育24小时、72小时、8天或15天。测定这些时间间隔时细胞毒性精子抗体的血清滴度。精子抗体滴度在接种后3天开始上升，在8天时达到峰值并趋于平稳。对照大鼠的滴度可忽略不计。另外两组大鼠以类似方式接种大肠杆菌，并在接种后24小时或8天开始用25毫克/千克/天的四环素治疗7天。在这两个治疗组中，抗体滴度变得可忽略不计，与感染但未治疗的组相比，结果具有统计学意义（24小时组和8天组分别为p <.001和<.05）。然而，对抗生素治疗组和未治疗组标本的组织学检查显示，两个治疗组的附睾均有明显的炎症和感染。两组的睾丸改变一致。结论是，大肠杆菌感染导致的附睾炎可在Lewis大鼠中诱导细胞毒性抗体的形成。适当的抗生素治疗可能通过抗生素的直接免疫抑制作用或通过根除感染后杀死的精子抗原负荷的减少来抑制抗体反应。
