Influence of Antiandrogens on Sertoli Cell Function and Intratesticular Androgen Transport

The effect of cyproterone acetate (CA) on spermatogenesis and especially on Sertoli cell function was investigated. Male rats were treated with daily doses of cyproterone acetate ranging from 0.625 to 30 mg/day sc for six weeks. The highest dose of cyproterone acetate inhibits spermatogenesis and reduces testicular weights as well as ABP content and concentration in the capita epididymis of treated rats, whereas serum FSH, LH and testosterone concentrations remain unaffected by cyproterone acetate treatment. These findings demonstrate that cyproterone acetate acts directly upon the testis and inhibits Sertoli cell function, as reflected by decreased ABP production. The binding studies revealed that cyproterone acetate does not compete with androgens for binding to ABP and, therefore, has no other effect on androgen transport in the testis than inhibition of ABP production. The nonsteroidal antiandrogen, flutamide, behaves like cyproterone acetate in respect of its binding to ABP, whereas SKF 7690 competes with DHT.