STUDIES ON THE CAUSE OF SPERMATOGENIC FAILURE IN SEMINAL TRACT OBSTRUCTION

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Antisperm antibodies were tested using an indirect immunobead test in the sera of 52 patients with seminal tract obstruction : 12 with vasectomy, 21 with post-herniorrhaphy obstruction, 12 with epididymal obstruction and 7 with vas deferens atresia. Forty-six percent and 15% of the sera were positive for Ig G and Ig A antibodies, respectively. There was no siginificant correlation between the incidence of positive antibodies and the cause of the obstruction. Serum antisperm antibodies had no effect on patient fertility after seminal tract reanastomosis.Quantitative analysis of testicular histology was performed in 32 patients with seminal tract obstruction. The cause or the period of the obstruction had no effect on the Sertoli cell rations for spermatogonias, spermatocytes or spermatids. However, the tubular wall thickness was significantly thicker in the post-vasectomy patients than in the post-herniorrhaphy patients. Serum antisperm antibodies do not affect testicular spermatogenesis.The effect of vasectomy on spermatogenesis was investigated using adult guinea pigs by flow cytometry. Six months after unilateral vasectomy, the spermatogenesis of the operated testis deteriorated in both the vasectomy and control groups. The contralateral testis showed normal DNA histograms. Antisperm antibodies, if present, do not affect spermatogenesis and that the spermatogenic failure of the operated testis may be caused by factors other than vasectomy.In conclusion, the present study indicated that serum antisperm antibodies had no effect on testicular spermatogenesis. The effect on spermatogenesis of an increase in the seminal tract pressure caused by obstruction remains to be studied.