Cyclophosphamide-Immunodepressed FVB/N Mice: Potentiating the Effects of Testicular Cytomegalovirus Infection

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cyclophosphamide (CY) immunosuppression on the infection of germinal cells following testicular inoculation of male FVB/N mice with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). We used CY to modulate the immune status in order to mimic iatrogenic immunosuppression in humans (organ transplantation) as closely as possible. We show that viral pathological manifestations observed in mice treated with this CY-MCMV combination were severer than those observed in immunocompetent male mice infected with MCMV alone. As previously reported, the typical MCMV cellular inclusions were present in interstitial spaces; however, the spermatogenic cells were never directly infected. Nonetheless, at the end of our observation, we obtained definitive necrosis of the testes. These results suggest that germline cell necrosis induces sterility in immunodepressed infected male mice indirectly. In the case of organ transplantation, particular attention should be accorded to male patients receiving CY.