[Histological and immunohistochemical studies on the damage of contralateral testis following the unilateral testicular torsion in Wistar rats].

The effect of experimental unilateral torsion of the testis on the contralateral intrascrotal testis in Wistar rats was evaluated histologically and immunohistochemically. The results were summarized as follows. 1) Histological damage of the seminiferous tubules in the contralateral testis was present only in adult rats. 2) The histological change 3-5 weeks after the experimental torsion consisted of marked decrease of spermatocytes, loss of spermatids and spermatozoa and numerous Sertoli-cell only tubules. Hyperplasia of the interstitial cells was demonstrated without thickness of the basement membrane and infiltration of the inflammatory cells. The tubular diameter and the ratio of contralateral testicular weight to rat body weight were significantly decreased (p less than 0.05) in torsion group. 3) Using an indirect immunofluorescent method, the positive immunohistochemical staining on spermatid and spermatozoa of normal testicular tissue was demonstrated using only the serum of rat with histological damage on the contralateral testis. Therefore, the phenomenon may be ascribable to the presence of antisperm antibody. It is concluded that the mechanism of the damage in seminiferous tubules of the contralateral testis with experimental torsion in adult Wistar rats is related to the humoral immunity producing antisperm antibody.