Experimental Unilateral Spermatic Cord Torsion: The Effect of Polypolymerase Enzyme Inhibitor on Histopathological and Biochemical Changes in the Early and Late Periods in the Ipsilateral and Contralateral Testicles

The effect of astaxanthin on testicular torsion-detorsion injury in rats - Detailed morphometric evaluation of histological sections

INTRODUCTION

Testicular torsion is one of the conditions of the acute scrotum that requires immediate surgical intervention. If not recognized at time, it can result of ischemic injuries and testicular loss. Restoration of blood flow is essential to save ischemic tissue, but reperfusion itself paradoxically causes further damage. Seaweed and sponges are considered to be the richest source of bioactive compounds that have antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of astaxanthin is 10 times higher than zeaxanthin, lutein, canthaxanthin, β-carotene and 100 times higher than α-tocopherol. Since to date there is no drug given to patients with torsion-detorsion testicular injury, we have investigated the effect of this powerful antioxidant.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of astaxanthin (ASX) on testicular torsion-detorsion injury in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-two male Fischer prepubertal rats were divided into 4 groups of 8 individuals. Group 1 underwent sham surgery to determine basal values for histological evaluation. In group 2 (torsion-detorsion group), right testis was twisted at 720° for 90 min. After 90min of reperfusion, the testis was removed. Astaxanthin was administered intraperitoneally at the time of detorsion (group 3) and 45 min after detorsion (group 4) in the treatment groups. Using software ImageJ®, histological morphometric values were measured.

RESULTS

MSTD (mean seminiferous tubule diameter) values increase statistically significantly in ASX groups compared to T/D group. MSLD (mean seminiferous lumen diameter) value was statistically significantly lower in the ASX group 3 compared to the T/D group. Epithelial height was statistically significantly higher in ASX groups compared to the T/D group. Tubular area is statistically significantly higher in ASX group 4, while the luminal area is statistically significantly lower in the ASX group 3 compared to the T/D group. Johnsen score was statistically significantly higher in the ASX groups compared to the T/D group.

DISCUSSION

This is the first scientific paper to study the effects of a single powerful antioxidant on all morphometric parameters. In previous scientific papers, scientists have mainly measured MSTD and the Johnsen score.

CONCLUSION

By measuring all histological morphometric parameters (mean seminiferous tubule diameter, mean seminiferous lumen diameter, epithelial height, tubular area, luminal area, Johnsen score) it can be concluded that astaxanthin has a favorable effect comparing the treated groups to untreated group.

Nesfatin-1 ameliorates testicular injury and supports gonadal function in rats induced with testis torsion

Testicular torsion causes ischemia-reperfusion injury and an increased risk of infertility. Nesfatin-1 is a novel peptide with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the putative beneficial effects of nesfatin-1 on oxidative injury and impaired testicular function induced by testis torsion. Under anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats (180-230 g; n = 24) had sham-operation or they underwent testicular torsion by rotating the left testis 720° and fixing it for 2 h, followed by a 2-h detorsion. Rats in each group were treated intraperitoneally with either nesfatin-1 (0.3 μg/kg) or saline prior to the torsion or sham-torsion. At the end of the 4-h experimental period, tissue samples were removed for evaluation of spermatozoa, molecular and histochemical analyses. In saline-treated torsion/detorsion group, a high percentage of abnormal spermatozoa with head defects was observed, which was abolished in nesfatin-1-treated torsion/detorsion group. The levels of 8-OHdG, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, caspase-3 were increased in the saline-treated torsion/detorsion group as compared to sham-operated group, while nesfatin-1 pre-treatment significantly decreased the expressions of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, depressed apoptosis, and also reduced the tubular degeneration. In addition, nesfatin-1 in torsion/detorsion group elevated expressions of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta and reduced expressions of protein kinase B (AKT) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in the testis tissue. The present findings show that nesfatin-1, by regulating AKT and CREB signaling pathways and pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokine balance, preserves the spermatogenic cells and ameliorates torsion-detorsion-induced tubular degeneration.

The efficiency of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase (PARP) cleavage on detection of apoptosis in an experimental model of testicular torsion

The aim of this study was to evaluate the histopathological and apoptotic changes occurring in the rat ipsilateral and contralateral testes, after experimental spermatic cord torsion, and to explore and the role of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage in testicular torsion-detorsion injury. A total of 37 Wistar albino rats were subjected to 720° unilateral spermatic cord torsion for 1, 2 and 4 h, followed by 4-h reperfusion, or else to a sham operation (control group). Histology of the testicle was evaluated using haematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and Johnsen's scoring system. Germ cell apoptosis was evaluated via active caspase-3 immunostaining, and PARP expression levels were evaluated via Western blotting. The mean Johnsen's tubular biopsy scores (JTBS) of the ipsilateral testicles were lower for all torsion groups than for the controls (P < 0.05), but the JTBS of the contralateral testicles were only lower in the 4-h torsion group (P < 0.05). The mean apoptosis score (AS) of the ipsilateral and contralateral testicles was significantly higher in the torsion groups than in the sham group. AS increased correlatively with torsion time, in both testicles. The effect of testicular torsion on PARP cleavage was time dependent, with the highest effect observed after 4 h of testicular torsion (P < 0.05). Testicular torsion caused time-dependent histological changes, apoptosis and increases in PARP cleavage. Our results suggest that testicular torsion-detorsion injury caused cell damage and germ cell apoptosis that apparently involved cleavage of PARP. Increased PARP cleavage could, in turn, lead to enhanced apoptosis.

Psoralea corylifolia protects against testicular torsion/detorsion-induced ischemia/reperfusion injury

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The pathophysiology of testicular torsion-detorsion is ischemia-reperfusion injury of the testis. In the course of testicular ischemia and reperfusion, overgeneration of reactive oxygen species is a major initiating component of the testicular spermatogenic injury. Reactive oxygen species regulate many genes whose expression affects cell-cycle regulation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. The transcription factor cAMP-responsive element modulator-τ (CREMτ) plays an essential role in spermatogenesis. Psoralea corylifolia, a medicinal herb with anti-oxidative activity, has been used to treat male reproductive dysfunction in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, we investigated the effect of Psoralea corylifolia on testicular torsion/detorsion-induced injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, each containing 20 rats. Rats in the control group underwent a sham operation of the left testis. In the torsion-detorsion group, the left testis was rotated 720° for 2h. Rats in the treatment group received the same surgical procedure as the torsion-detorsion group, but Psoralea corylifolia was administered orally. Bilateral orchiectomy was performed on half of the rats in each experimental group at 4h after detorsion for measurement of malondialdehyde which is an indicator of intratesticular reactive oxygen species content. Orchiectomy was performed on the remaining rats at 3 months after detorsion for analysis of testicular CREMτ expression and spermatogenesis.

RESULTS

Unilateral testicular torsion-detorsion caused a significant increase in malondialdehyde level and caused significant decreases in CREMτ expression and spermatogenesis in ipsilateral testes. Psoralea corylifolia treatment significantly decreased malondialdehyde level and significantly increased CREMτ expression and spermatogenesis in ipsilateral testes, compared with torsion-detorsion group.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that Psoralea corylifolia may protect testicular spermatogenesis by enhancing CREMτ expression by scavenging reactive oxygen species.