The effect of 6-deoxy-6-fluoroglucose on the fertility of male rats and mice.

A single dose of 6-deoxy-6-fluoroglucose (120 mg/kg) inhibited spermatogenesis in a group of 6 rats. The rats became infertile 16 to 30 days after the dose but 5 had recovered after 45 days. Both testes of the rat which remained infertile and one testis in each of 3 other rats had hypotrophied and damaged tubules were present even in the testes which remained of normal size. 6-Deoxy-6-fluoroglucose (0, 240, 480 or 960 mg/kg) did not affect the fertility of male mice. 10 mM-6-Deoxy-6-fluoroglucose caused a significant inhibition of glycolysis in rat seminiferous tubules in vitro but lower concentrations did not. There was no effect on the citrate concentration in the tubules.