The effects of cyproterone acetate on the elements in the intraluminal fluids of the testis and epididymis of the rat

Abstract

Spermatozoal maturation and the integrity of the epididymis are dependent on the action of androgen. Micropuncture techniques and electron probe microanalysis were used to investigate the effect of cyproterone acetate on the concentrations of seven elements in intraluminal fluids of the testis, rete testis, and epididymis. After 4 weeks of treatment with cyproterone acetate, the sodium concentration rose in the corpus epididymidis (74.4 +/- 5.4 to 102 +/- 6 mmol/L, p less than 0.01). The concentration of potassium rose in seminiferous tubular fluid (33.9 +/- 2.7 to 49.4 +/- 4.4 mmol/L, p less than 0.01) and caput epididymidal fluid (15.9 +/- 1.4 to 25.7 +/- 0.9 mmol/L, p less than 0.01) after 8 weeks of cyproterone acetate treatment. The chloride concentration rose in the caput (23.7 +/- 0.8 to 65.4 +/- 12.5 mmol/L, p less than 0.01) and distal cauda (39.4 +/- 4.6 to 74.7 +/- 10.8 mmol/L, p less than 0.01) epididymidis after 8 weeks of treatment. Cyproterone acetate had no effect on the concentrations of phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. The sulfur concentration rose in seminiferous tubular fluid (4.3 +/- 0.3 to 7.3 +/- 0.3 mmol/L, p less than 0.01) and distal cauda fluid (5.3 +/- 0.5 to 14.0 +/- 1.6 mmol/L, p less than 0.01) after 8 weeks of treatment with cyproterone acetate. Four weeks of treatment also increased the sulfur concentration in the distal cauda (6.8 +/- 1.6 to 13.4 +/- 1.5 mmol/L, p less than 0.01). Cyproterone acetate treatment did not affect the concentration of any element in rete testis fluid or serum.