Response of testicular macrophages to EDS-induced Leydig cell death

The response of testicular macrophages to massive Leydig cell death was studied by the administration of the specific Leydig cell cytotoxic ethylene dimethane sulphonate (EDS) to sham-operated (SO), short-term (STHX), and long-term (LTHX) hypophysectomized rats. EDS-killed Leydig cells showed the morphological features of the programmed cell death or apoptosis. A 2-fold increase in the number of macrophages was found on days 1-2 after treatment in both SO and STHX rats, and dead Leydig cells were completely eliminated by day 3 after treatment. Otherwise, in LTHX rats, there was a delay in the increase in the number of macrophages, and EDS-killed Leydig cells remained in the testicular interstitium for several days. These results indicate that the phagocytic capacity of the macrophage population was diminished in hypophysectomized rats, and particularly after long-term hypophysectomy.