Antigonadotropic cell antibodies in the serum of cryptorchid children and infants and of their mothers.

An indirect immunofluorescence test allowed us to study circulating antigonadotropin-cell antibodies in patients with cryptorchidism. Antigonadotropin-cell activity was found in the serum in 14 of 23 cryptorchid boys aged 1 to 11 years and in 12 of 23 infants aged 1 to 3 months; in most of them the antibodies persisted during short-term follow-up. Results of paired study of the mother and infant were concordant in 14 of 15 cases. No such antibodies were found in 24 control male children. These data support the possible role of pituitary autoimmunity in the child and the mother as a factor in testicular maldescent. We found no correlation between the presence or absence of antibodies and the partial luteinizing hormone-Leydig cell deficiency usually found in cryptorchidism.