[Effect of testosterone propionate on the lymphoid system and antibody-producing capacity in golden hamsters]

The effect of testosterone-propionate on the lymphoid tissue and humoral immunological response to SRBC was studied in 224 golden hamsters of both sex. The hormone was injected intramuscularly in a dose of 1 and 5 mg every other day (a total of 10 injections). Testosterone caused thymus atrophy, hypoplasia of the spleen, reduction of the absolute B lymphocyte count in the bone marrow, forming cell count and a fall of the serum hemolysin titre in the immunized animals. The detected changes were found to be more pronounced in female animals.