ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to determine the cellular contents and concentrations of interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in fluids of patients with spermatocele or epididymal cyst. Twenty-five symptomatic patients, 14 with epididymal cysts and 11 with spermatoceles, were included in the study. Fluids were obtained during surgical excision of the cysts and cytological smears were stained with May-Gruenwald-Giemsa to establish cell components. The concentrations of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha were measured by chemiluminescent immunometric assay. Cytological analysis of the fluids demonstrated various sperm forms ranging from immature germ cells to degenerated spermatozoa without inflammatory cells such as neutrophils and macrophages. The concentrations (mean+/- SEM, pg/mg protein) of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha were 13.52 +/- 1.40, 22.20 +/- 2.43, 3.51 +/- 1.43 in spermatocele fluids and 5.76 +/- 0.48, 11.57 +/- 1.89, 2.53 +/- 0.41 in epididymal cyst fluids. Both IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations in the spermatocele group were higher than in the epididymal cyst group (P < 0.0001). There were no differences in TNF-alpha concentrations between the groups (P > 0.05). These findings indicate that local production of pro-inflammatory cytokines is involved in cyst formation. The presence of immunologic activation in these fluids advocates a policy of selective surgical intervention in patients with spermatocele or epididymal cyst.
Subject(s)
Interleukin-6/analysis , Interleukin-8/analysis , Spermatocele/immunology , Testicular Diseases/immunology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/analysis , Adult , Aged , Body Fluids/immunology , Cysts/immunology , Epididymis , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Human lymphocytes cultured for 6 days in the presence of autologous and allogeneic spermatozoa obtained from spermatocoele undergo blast transformation. The proliferation level in autologous combination is markedly higher than that in allogeneic one.
Subject(s)
Lymphocyte Activation , Lymphocytes/immunology , Spermatozoa/immunology , Cells, Cultured , Humans , Male , Spermatocele/immunology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The mechanism of spermatozoa-lymphocyte interaction was studied using spermatozoa and lymphocytes obtained from 11 healthy individuals and from 2 patients with spermatocoele. The lymphocytes activated by spermatozoa in 3-day cultures were used as inducers of fresh, unstimulated autologous or allogeneic lymphocytes. In 9 cases of 13 tested sperm samples, a slight proliferative response of lymphocytes stimulated by spermatozoa-induced lymphocytes was observed. The final effect did not depend on whether an autologous or an allogeneic system was used in the first and the second incubation. A possible explanation of the observed reaction is discussed.
