[Autoimmune aspermatogenetic orchiepididymitis in guinea pigs induced by water-soluble adjuvants]

Use was made of water-soluble adjuvant fractions with homologous sperm, sperm extract or sperm autoantigens to induce autoimmune aspermatogenic orchiepididymitis (AIAO) in guinea-pigs. Guinea-pigs were injected with soluble sperm extract or sperm purified autoantigen S emulsified in incomplete Freund adjvant (IFA) together with two synthetic watersoluble adjuvants, Mur-Nac-L-Ala-D-isoGlu et Mur-Nac-L-Ala-acide D-isoGlu. These animals developed lesions of AIAO, delayed hypersensitivity reactions and specific anti-spermatozoa antibodies. These lesions and reactions were comparable to the ones induced in a control group treated with the same spermatozoa extract or autoantigen S in complet Freund adjuvants. No lesion was observed in the absence of IFA, Other guinea-pigs received a mixture of spermatoza or purified sperm autoantigens, S, P, T. and of polyadenylicpolyuridylic complex either in saline or emulsified in IFA. The recipients of sperm or autoantigen T mixed with Poly A:U, with ou without IFA, displayed lsdions of AIAO; autoantigen S and Poly A:U in IFA, provoked AIAO but did not do it in the absenceof IFA.