Effect of allopurinol on damage caused by free radicals to cryptorchid testes.
Cryptorchidism causes apoptosis of germ cells. It has been suggested that the redox regulatory system is involved in this process. The free radicals produced are thought to be generated during the production of uric acid, a reaction catalyzed by xanthine oxidase. This enzyme is inhibited by allopurinol; however, the role of allopurinol in neonate rats with inguinal cryptorchidism has not been assessed yet. Sixty male Wistar rats were used and five groups were formed: a control, a sham, a sham group with allopurinol administration and two groups with surgical unilateral cryptorchidism, which either did not receive, or received, allopurinol. The rats were assessed at 40 days post-partum. Reactive oxygen species concentration and epithelial area were measured and the histopathological, apoptotic and cellular proliferation indexes were determined. We found a decrease in reactive oxygen species, histopathological and apoptotic indexes and an increase in proliferation index and epithelial area in rats with cryptorchidism treated with allopurinol in comparison with rats with untreated cryptorchidism. We suggest that the over-production of reactive oxygen species plays an important role in the damage of the cryptorchid testes. Allopurinol administration decreases reactive oxygen species concentrations as well as the damage to the germ epithelium.
Vigueras-Villaseñor
Rosa María
RM
Subdirección de Medicina Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico; Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootécnia, UNAM, Mexico. marcoviv@servidor.unam.mx
Molina-Ortiz
Dora
D
Reyes-Torres
Gabriela
G
del Angel
Daniel Santamaría
DS
Moreno-Mendoza
Norma Angélica
NA
Cruz
Mercedes Edna Garcia
ME
Cuevas-Alpuche
Osvaldo
O
Rojas-Castañeda
Julio César
JC
D000493:Allopurinol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000633:toxicity*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000493:Allopurinol