Study on the relationship of hypotestosteronemia and IL-1, TNFα in infertility rabbits with vasovasotomy / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

To study the underlying mechanism of vasovasotomy infertility, we set up the rabbit model and observed the levels of testosterone, IL-1 activity and TNFα, which represent the functions of monocytes and macrophages on the animal model of vasovasostomy, and probed into the in vitro effect of IL-1β on the production of testosterone by Leydig cells. Rabbit model was set up and divided into vasovasostomy fertility group (VFG) and vasovasostomy infertility group (VIG), and set up peer group of Vasectomy group (VG) and sham operation group (SOG) as controls. The results were as follows The sperm density and total number is highest in SOG, with that in VFG markedly lower than that in SOG, but significantly higher than that in VIG. 　　1. VFG showed significant higher level of testosterone (Ts) than SOG, VG and VIG; Ts of VIG was significantly lower than SOG or VFG. In the vasovasostomy groups, sperm density is positively correlated to the level of testosterone. 　　2. The level of serum cortisol in VIG significantly higher than that in VFG, SOG, and VG. The level of serum cortisol negatively correlated to serum testosterone. 3. Serum estradiol(E2) was similar among all the groups (P＞0.05). E2/T ratio is significantly different among the groups, with that in VIG highest and that in VFG lowest. 4. Serum IL-1 activity in VIG was significantly higher than that in SOG and VFG(P＜0.05). 　　5. Serum TNFα and serum IL-1 activity share similar change, with TNFα in VG significantly higher than that in SOG(P＜0.01), VIG was the highest among the four groups(P＜0.01). Correlation test showed that serum IL-1 activity and TNFα level was negatively correlated to testosterone level; positively correlated to cortisol level and E2/T ratio. 6. Immuno-histo-chemistry of CD68 and TNFα in rabbits with vasovasostomy showed that in the testis tissue of SOG, interstitial tissue was normal with no filtration of inflammation cells including CD68 cells. In VFG and VIG, the tubules with resumed sperm production showed negative staining, and atrophic tubules and their surroundings were expression positive of CD68, with that markedly deeper in VIG than that in VFG. TNFα positive expressed granules was found only in atrophic convolted seminiferous tubules and their surroundings, with that deeper in VIG than that in VFG. 7. Culture Leydig cells were put in the following holes(1) Control; (2) hCG; (3) IL-1; (4)IL-1 β+hCG; (5) IL-1 β+IL-1Ra; and (6) hCG+IL-1β+IL-1Ra. Determined the levels of testosterone by immuno-radiation technique. (1) IL-1 β showed no obvious effect on the Leydig cultured in vitro, but depressed the induction of Leydig cells by hCG to synthesize testosterone; (2) IL-1Ra blocked the depression of IL-1β Leydig cells' bio-synthesis of testosterone induced by hCG. In summary, one of the obvious changes in animals with vasovasotomy is low density of sperms, which is related to the lowering of testosterone. Low level of testosterone is related to the activation of monocytes and macrophages to produce IL-1 and TNFα, which negatively regulate the production of testosterone.