Effects of AMSA, an antineoplastic agent, on spermatogenesis in the mouse

Detection of Effects on Male Reproduction—A Literature Survey

The 1CH (International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use) Guideline for Detection of Toxicity to Reproduction for Medicinal Products, adopted at the Second ICH Conference in Orlando, FL, U.S.A., emphasized the need for research into the suitability of various methods for the detection of effects on fertility in males. The current project was undertaken to compare the efficiency of methods by evaluating reports in the open literature. The results of the examination of 117 substances or substance classes support the view that histopathology and organ weight analysis provide the best general-purpose means of detecting substances with the potential to affect male fertility. Examinations at up to 4 weeks of treatment appear to be as effective as examinations conducted at later times. Mating with females for detection of effects unrelated to interference with sperm production appears to provide an optimal combination because adding other methodologies does not materially improve the detection rate. As to the timing of the mating trial, a 2-week premating period is as efficient as mating at 4 weeks and apparently more efficient than mating after prolonged premating treatment.

The chemotherapeutic agents nocodazole and amsacrine cause meiotic delay and non-disjunction in spermatocytes of mice

Aneuploidy of germ cells contributes to reduced fertility, foetal wastage and genetic defects. The possible risk of aneuploidy induction by the cancer chemotherapeutic drugs amsacrine (AMSA) and nocodazole (NOC) was investigated in male mice. Two molecular cytogenetic approaches were used: (1) the BrdU-incorporation assay to test the altered duration of meiotic divisions and (2) the sperm-FISH assay to determine aneuploidy induction during meiosis by observing hyperhaploid and diploid sperm. Sperm were sampled from the Caudae epididymes of treated and solvent control males. Single intraperitoneal injections with NOC (35 mg/kg) and AMSA (15 mg/kg) caused a meiotic delay of 24h. The timing of sperm sampling for the sperm-FISH assay was adjusted accordingly, i.e. 23 days after treatment. Mice were treated with 18, 35 and 50 mg/kg of NOC, or 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg/kg of AMSA. Significant dose-dependent increases above the concurrent controls in the frequencies of hyperhaploid sperm were found with both agents. Significant increases in the frequencies of diploid sperm were found only with AMSA. These results provide a basis for genetic counselling of patients under AMSA or NOC chemotherapy. During a period of 3-4 months after the end of chemotherapy, they may stand a higher risk of siring chromosomally abnormal offspring.

Recovery of sperm production after chemotherapy for osteosarcoma

Because treatment with surgery and combination chemotherapy produces a high cure rate in young men with osteosarcoma, their subsequent reproductive function is an important concern. Semen analyses of osteosarcoma patients, therefore, were performed before, during, and after treatment with the PADIC regimen consisting of cisplatin, Adriamycin (doxorubicin), and dacarbazine or, in some cases, the PADIC regimen plus additional drugs. Results showed that semen volume was not affected and that sperm motility was reduced only during treatment. Although nearly all patients were rendered azoospermic during treatment, sperm production resumed in 30 of 32 patients examined at least 2 years after treatment. Analysis with correction for censored data indicates that, in 78% of treated men, sperm counts will return to more than 10 million/ml. The percentage of men whose sperm counts recovered to normal was lower for those receiving cisplatin dosages greater than or equal to 600 mg/m2; no trends were observed with Adriamycin and dacarbazine dosages. The inclusion of additional drugs such as methotrexate, bleomycin, dactinomycin, or cyclophosphamide (less than 4 g/m2) did not significantly affect the recovery of spermatogenesis. We conclude that the risk of long-term infertility from treatment with the PADIC regimen is low.