Protective effect of erythropoietin pretreatment in testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the effects of recombinant erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone widely used for treatment of uremic anemia, in rats subjected to testicular ischemia and reperfusion (I/R).


METHODS
Thirty-five male rats were divided into the following: control, sham operated, ischemia (I), I/R, and I/R + EPO groups. In the I group, 2 hours of left unilateral testicular torsion were performed, and in the I/R and I/R + EPO groups, an additional 2 hours of testicular detorsions were performed. The I/R + EPO group was pretreated intraperitoneally with EPO (500 IU/kg) before reperfusion. Testicular tissue samples were examined for biochemical and histopathologic parameters. Apoptotic cells in all testes were detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling technique and caspase 3 immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
At histopathologic examination, ischemic changes in primary spermatocytes were noted in all torted testes. Cellular damage and apoptosis were more severe in ischemic groups than the EPO-pretreated group. There were statistically significant differences in tissue biochemical parameters in the I and I/R groups compared with the I/R + EPO group.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study suggest that EPO exerts protective effects against I/R injury via the modulation of free radical scavenger's activities, which decreases lipid peroxidation levels and attenuation of apoptosis.
Ergur
Bekir Ugur
BU
Department of Histology and Embryology, Dokuz Eylul University Medical School, Balcova, Izmir 35340, Turkey. bekir.ergur@deu.edu.tr
Kiray
Muge
M
Pekcetin
Cetin
C
Bagriyanik
H Alper
HA
Erbil
Guven
G
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D011292:Premedication; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015424:Reperfusion / Q000009:adverse effects; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000628:therapy*; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013737:Testis / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D000975:Antioxidants; D020011:Protective Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin