The influence of vasovasostomy on antisperm antibodies in rats

Serum antisperm antibodies were studied in Sprague-Dawley rats after vasectomy and vasovasostomy. Animals received a bilateral vasectomy, a vasectomy followed 3 mo later by vasovasostomy, or sham operations. Blood samples were obtained at 1, 3, 4, and 7 mo, and antisperm antibodies were assayed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. After vasectomy reversal was performed at 3 mo, antisperm antibodies were significantly higher in rats in the vasovasostomy group at 4 mo than in animals that had a persisting vasectomy or sham operations. At 7 mo, the antisperm antibody level for the vasovasostomy group was approximately double that for the vasectomized rats. Spermatic granulomas occurred in 76% of rats after vasovasostomy. Antisperm antibody levels were higher in vasovasostomized animals with granulomas than in those lacking granulomas. The results suggest that vasovasostomy may stimulate an antibody response to sperm rather than lead to a reduced response, as was anticipated upon removal of the obstruction. Spermatic granulomas may serve as sires for continued antigenic challenge. The observed increase in antisperm antibodies after vasovasostomy in Sprague-Dawley rats may be related to their relatively low immunologic responsiveness to vasectomy, with vasovasostomy serving as a second major immunologic challenge, aided by the formation of an additional granuloma. In the more responsive Lewis strain, we previously observed a rise in antisperm antibodies after the initial vasectomy, with no further increase after vasovasostomy.