title: Testicular nitric oxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels in obstructive azoospermia: a possible role in pathophysiology of infertility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to evaluate the levels of nitrite/nitrate and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and their relationship with seminal parameters in experimental obstructive azoospermic rats to explain the possible mechanism of impaired sperm quality in obstructive azoospermia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 10 male Spraque-Dawley rats underwent bilateral vas resection and ligation (Group-1 = vasectomy group). The findings were compared with control group (Group-2 = sham group, n = 10). Animals were sacrificed 8 weeks after surgery. Testes were removed and used for the evaluation of nitrate/nitrite and TBARS levels and for histology. Epididymal-aspirated seminal plasma was used for semen count and morphological analysis according to the Kruger criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Testicular tissue nitrate/nitrite and TBARS levels were 35.7 +/- 3.1 micromol/g protein and 3.7 +/- 0.1 nmol/g protein in Group-1, and 19.3 +/- 0.7 micromol/g protein and 3.1 +/- 0.1 nmol/g protein in Group-2, respectively. Both parameters showed statistical differences between the two groups. Testicular tissue nitrate/nitrite and TBARS levels showed negative and statistically significant correlations with sperm motility and morphology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that testicular nitrate/nitrite and TBARS levels were increased in obstructive azoospermia. For that reason, we concluded that antioxidant treatment can be recommended to patients before sperm extraction for artificial reproduction due to obstructive infertility after vasectomy reversal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kirikkale, 71100 Kirikkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: M Murad
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Başar
authors.forename: Uçler
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kisa
authors.forename: Devrim
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tuğlu
authors.forename: Erdal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Başar
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cağlayan
authors.forename: Ertan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Batislam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis*; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D009569:Nitric Oxide