Effects of vardenafil on testicular torsion/detorsion damage: an experimental study in pigs.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of vardenafil HCl on testicular germ cell apoptosis and the expressions of iNOS and eNOS within the bilateral testes after unilateral torsion/detorsion (T/D) in a pig model.


METHODS
12 male pigs weighing 50-55 kg were divided randomly into three groups (n = 4). Sham operation and T/D was performed in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Group 3 underwent T/D and received vardenafil (0.4 mg/kg) orally 45 min before detorsion. The testes were left in torsion for 2 h. In all groups, both testes were removed 8 h after the operation for histopathological analysis.


RESULTS
Except for group 1, the histopathologic parameters of the ipsilateral testes were higher than in the contralateral testes, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Testicular ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) (group 2) resulted in marked increases in germ cell apoptosis, iNOS and eNOS in the ischemic testes compared to the sham-operated group. The pigs treated with vardenafil (group 3) also showed significantly increased apoptotic cells, iNOS and eNOS levels compared to the sham-operated group.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that vardenafil HCl worsened histopathological changes related to oxidative stress in testicular injury and had no protective effect on testicular I/R injury in pigs.
Department of Urology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
Mustafa Okan
MO
Istanbulluoglu
Murat
M
Zor
Asuman
A
Celik
Tufan
T
Cicek
Seref
S
Basal
Aysegul
A
Ozgok
Huseyin
H
Ustun
Yasar
Y
Ozgok
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000473:pathology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D015427:Reperfusion Injury; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013450:Sulfones / Q000494:pharmacology; D013552:Swine; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride
D007093:Imidazoles; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D013450:Sulfones; D014227:Triazines; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III