Long-term effect of pentoxifylline and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester on testicular function in spermatic artery ligation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate long-term testicular function in pentoxifylline- and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-treated rats prior to spermatic artery ligation by assessing serum inhibin B concentration, a reliable endocrine marker of spermatogenesis.


METHODS
Forty prepubertal rats were randomly divided into four equal groups. Right orchiectomy was performed in all rats. Intraperitoneal pentoxifylline and L-NAME were administered to Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Rats in Group 3 did not receive any medication. The spermatic arteries of the left testes were ligated in all groups with the exception of the sham controls (Group 4). One month postoperatively, a histopathologic evaluation was performed and serum inhibin B concentrations were assessed in all groups.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences in testis size or serum inhibin B concentration between Groups 1, 2 and 3. However, the testes were significantly smaller (p(1)=0.01, p(2)=0.01, p(3)=0.01) and serum inhibin B levels were significantly decreased (p(1)=0.01, p(2)=0.01, p(3)=0.01) when Groups 1-3 were compared with Group 4. Histopathological evaluations revealed necrosis and calcification in all specimens with the exception of the sham-operated group.


CONCLUSIONS
The long-term outcomes of spermatic artery ligation were poor and testicular atrophy developed in rat testes in all study groups. Testicular atrophy could not be reversed by preoperative administration of pentoxifylline and L-NAME.
Yilmaz
Omer
O
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey. omer.yilmaz@bayar.edu.tr
Genc
Abdulkadir
A
Taneli
Fatma
F
Demireli
Peyker
P
Deveci Kocakoc
Ipek
I
Sencan
Aydin
A
Gunsar
Cuneyt
C
Mir
Erol
E
Taneli
Can
C
D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011336:Probability; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013085:Spermatic Cord / Q000098:blood supply; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D010431:Pentoxifylline; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester