title: Protective effects of N-acetylcysteine on experimentally undescended testis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine for testicular damage induced by undescended testes in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flutamide was injected in the abdomen of pregnant rats daily from days 14 to 20 of gestation. Male offspring with cryptorchidism were randomly divided into 2 groups. Healthy male rats without undescended testes comprised the control group (group 1). Group 2 (undescended testes without N-acetylcysteine) received no treatment. Group 3 (undescended testes plus N-acetylcysteine) received intraperitoneal N-acetylcysteine daily. At 70 days after experiment initiation the testes were removed for histopathological and biochemical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean malonyl dialdehyde values were lowest in group 1 and highest in group 2. In group 3 malonyl dialdehyde levels were significantly lower than in group 2 (p <0.001). Conversely, mean glutathione peroxidase was highest in group 1 and lowest in group 2. Glutathione peroxidase levels in group 3 were significantly higher than in group 2 (p <0.001). Histopathological differences between groups 1 and 3 in the modified Johnsen score were not significant (p = 0.041). However, the differences between these groups and group 2 were significant (p <0.001). The median apoptotic cell count did not differ between groups 1 and 3 but it was significantly higher in group 2 than in the other groups (p = 0.03 and <0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  N-acetylcysteine may alleviate undescended testis induced damage to testes through its antioxidant effects. The underlying mechanism of these effects merits further investigation. Long-term studies are also needed as well as comparative animal and human studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Abant Izzet Baysal Medical Faculty, Bolu, Turkey. Electronic address: uguruyeturk@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Uyeturk
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Abant Izzet Baysal Faculty, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cetinkaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Abant Izzet Baysal Medical Faculty, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulzade
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozyalvacli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Abant Izzet Baysal Medical Faculty, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Buket Kin
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Tekce
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Abant Izzet Baysal Hospital, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Emin
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ozyalvacli
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Abant Izzet Baysal Medical Faculty, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Eray
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kemahli
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Abant Izzet Baysal Medical Faculty, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gucuk
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D000111:Acetylcysteine
keywords: abnormalities; acetylcysteine; antioxidants; cryptorchidism; testis