Background: Testicular circulatory isolation (TCI), a regional drug exclusion approach designed to prevent chemotherapy-induced male infertility, can reduce testicular drug exposure and preserve fertility. The immunological sequelae of this surgical procedure were investigated.
Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats received unilateral TCI for 45 min and were killed at intervals of up to 43 days later. Testicular histology was evaluated qualitatively using hematoxylin and eosin stain, a direct immunofluorescent technique for detection of antigen-antibody complexes, and an indirect immunofluorescent technique to detect circulating antitestis antibodies.
Results: No immune-mediated injury was evident up to 43 days after TCI.
Conclusion: The current work, taken together with previously published data, indicate that TCI produces no immunological damage in the rat testis. Because TCI is well tolerated in humans, this work also supports the institution of human clinical trials of this technique in men about to receive fertility-threatening chemotherapy.