ANTIANDROGEN INDUCED CRYPTORCHIDISM IN THE PIG IS ASSOCIATED WITH FAILED GUBERNACULAR REGRESSION AND EPIDIDYMAL MALFORMATIONS

Purpose: Can antiandrogens cause cryptorchidism in an animal model wit h a strip-like gubernaculum? If so, what anatomical abnormalities are associated with cryptorchidism? Materials and Methods: Timed pregnant sows received the antiandrogen flutamide during defined gestational in tervals. Fetal pigs were evaluated for the presence of testicular unde scent and for morphological paratesticular abnormalities at 110 days o f gestation (birth). Results: Of 180 testes 84 (47%) were undescended and 9 (5%) were in the abdominal cavity. No undescended testis (0 of 2 00 testes) was found in control animals (p <0.001). Epididymal anomali es were found in all intra-abdominal testes, which was significant whe n compared to the epididymal abnormalities found with inguinal undesce nded testes (0%) or descended testes (1%) (p <0.001), Alterations in g ubernacular morphology, in particular failure of gubernacular regressi on, were also directly associated with cryptorchidism (p <0.001). Conc lusions: Androgens partially control transabdominal and transinguinal descent of the porcine testis. In addition, antiandrogen induced crypt orchidism is associated with epididymal malformation and failure of gu bernacular regression. It remains to be determined if these latter fin dings are only associated with or the cause of testicular undescent.