Inhibition of Testicular Steroids by Antibodies — A Feasible Approach to Male Contraception

Abstract

The biological and immunological effects of immunisation against testosterone are reviewed and considered in regard to potential applications in male fertility control. In experimental animals active immunization with testosterone causes atrophy of the accessory reproductive glands, loss of sexual activity, increase in gonadotrophins, decrease in metabolic clearance rate of testosterone and prevention of fetal sexual differentiation. These findings can be described as “immunological castration”. Paradoxically, hyperplasia of the Leydig cells with excessively high testosterone levels in circulating blood occurs, while spermatogenesis remains intact. Thus infertility is achieved but at the expense of peripheral actions of testosterone. In addition, in actively immunized animals a high degree of immune complex nephritis is observed. Therefore, although a valuable research tool, immunization with testosterone does not represent a feasible approach to male fertility control.