Isoimmunization of Wistar rats with male accessory gland (MAG) extract and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) induces a specific cell‐mediated immune response detected by skin delayed hypersensitivity, spleen lymphocyte culture as well as by the presence of macrophage inhibitory factor and skin reactive factor. Specific antibodies have also been investigated by hemagglutination, immunodiffusion, and complement‐fixation tests. In a group of rats receiving a single immunizing dose no antibody response was detected, but in 5 out of 8 rats a cell‐mediated immune response was found accompanied in three of them by mild histological changes in the target organ. In a second group that underwent a more intense and extended immunization schedule, the humoral response was detected by complement fixation in only three undiluted sera. The cellular immune mechanism was found in 18 out of 20 rats through one or more of the tests in the study. Male accessory gland lesions in various degrees were observed in 15 cases and they were mainly represented by mononuclear infiltration. Whether a cell‐mediated or humoral mechanism is responsible for induction of the tissue damage observed in the target glands is discussed.
Intensive autoimmunization of rabbits with native or chemically modified seminal plasma incorporated with complete Freund's adjuvant induces autoantibodies against the homologous material as well as against testicular antigens. Testicular lesions were observed in most animals. When accessory gland extract was used as the immunizing material, repeated injections failed to induce antitesticular antibodies or to cause testicular damage. Semen analysis during treatment showed the presence of immature cells from the seminiferous epithelium. The experimentally induced condition developed in this work satisfies the definition of allergic orchitis.
Ultracentrifugal studies of rabbit seminal plasma (RSP) showed a prominent 1\m=.\85S peak with a 4\m=.\20Sshoulder and minor fast components. Seminal plasma subjected to molecular sieve through Sephadex G-100 showed marked heterogeneity. Using this procedure, five fractions were defined which contained several macromolecular components as revealed by polyacrylamide electrophoresis, agar gel immunoelectrophoresis and immunodiffusion assays.Immunological studies on organ specificity using heteroantisera showed that RSP contains a mixture of genital-tract-specific antigens and several antigens shared with other organs and serum. Using selected autoantisera, the presence was demonstrated of two distinct autoantigens specific to the rabbit accessory glands and additional autoantigens from testis and/or epididymis proving the complex autoantigenic nature of RSP.
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