Infertility in mice after unilateral vasectomy

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Reproductive Biology
• Urology

Background:

• Antisperm antibodies (ASAs) can impair fertility.
• The immunological consequences of unilateral vasectomy are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of unilateral vasectomy on fertility and ASA production in DBA/1J mice.
• To determine if ASAs induced by unilateral vasectomy affect fertilization capacity.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-six DBA/1J mice underwent unilateral vasectomy, unilateral orchiectomy, or sham surgery.
• Fertility was assessed via mating trials.
• Antisperm antibody titers were measured monthly.
• In vitro fertilization assays were conducted using sera collected 4 months post-surgery.

Main Results:

• Only 1 of 12 vasectomized mice sired offspring, compared to 20 of 21 controls (P < 0.0001).
• The mean ASA titer in the vasectomy group (1:169) was significantly higher than in control groups (1:4 to 1:14).
• Serum from vasectomized mice reduced in vitro fertilization rates by 50% compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Unilateral vasectomy induces infertility and a significant antisperm antibody response in DBA/1J mice.
• The presence of ASAs in sera from vasectomized mice inhibits fertilization in vitro.
• Infertility following unilateral vasectomy may be mediated by immunologically produced antisperm antibodies.