Environmental temperature and cryptorchidism: effects on pregnenolone-sulfatase of mice testicular tissue

This study examined the capacity of abdominal organs, such as the scrotal testis, exposed to environmental temperature to hydrolyze pregnenolone sulfate. The cryptorchid state of exposure to 34 degrees C during 14 days decreased testis weight by 38 and 23%. But the enzymatic activity (nanomoles of free steroid/testis) was significantly higher (p < .05) compared with the control. Moreover, a rise in the environmental temperature combined with cryptorchidism in mice, two conditions that induced testicular damage, has been related to the elaboration of factors capable of modifying, through paracrine mechanism, the androgen biosynthesis. The presence of this factor could lead to an increase in the hydrolysis of pregnenolone sulfate, but as for cryptorchidism or high environmental temperature exposure, when cryptorchid mice were exposed to temperatures of 34 degrees C an apparent synergism of both conditions produced a decrease of 66% in testis weight. It would appear that the steroid sulfatase is predominantly located in the interstitial epithelium. This study suggests that cryptorchidism and hyperthermia damage the tubular epithelium by different mechanisms.