ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA IN RATS INDUCES PATHOMORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN GERM-CELLS

Concern about the reproductive potential of long-term survivors of acu te lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) prompted an investigation into the im pact of the disease on spermatogenic cells. Using rats as a model, his tological, immunocytochemical and electron microscopic analysis was ap plied to investigate changes in the seminiferous epithelium In rats tr ansplanted with leukaemic cells at early puberty, degenerate primary s permatocytes and spermatids were prevalent within stage VIII tubules. Electron microscopically, step 8 spermatids showed acrosomal abnormali ties and nuclear contour distortion. In the distorted step 9 spermatid s, the microtubules of the manchette were abnormally oriented or defic ient. Antitubulin antibody staining was reduced in elongating spermati ds in the group transplanted with leukaemic cells at early puberty but was not observed in the older leukaemic group. Step 13 spermatids sho wed extracted chromatin and degenerate step 19 spermatids were occasio nally found. Similar but less severe changes were seen in the group of rats transplanted with leukaemic cells at late puberty. We conclude t hat germinal cell damage induced by ALL is dependent on the developmen tal maturity of the seminiferous epithelium. The present findings are of particular importance when interpreting the impact of anticancer ch emotherapeutics on germinal cells in patients with ALL.