Effect of castration on male-determined acceleration of autoimmune disease in BXSB mice

The autoimmune disease of BXSB mice is markedly accelerated by a Y chromosome-associated male-specific factor. In order to investigate the mechanism of this effect, we castrated male and female BXSB mice at 10 days of age and compared the course of development of their autoimmune syndrome with that of sham-operated, sex-matched, littermate controls. Orchiectomy did not delay the early onset of fatal immunopathology in males, and oophorectomy did not exacerbate the indolent progression of morbidity in females. We conclude, therefore, that the male-specific effect that accelerates BXSB autoimmune disease is not hormonally mediated.