title: Effects of human chorionic gonadotropin on the normal testicular tissue of rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on the testicular tissue of young male rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats were assigned to groups (10 rats/group).Control Group received subcutaneous saline solution; Group 1 received hCG 50 UI/Kg/dose; and Group 2 received hCG 100 UI/Kg/dose, daily for 15 days. Half was submitted to bilateral orchiectomy on the 16th day and the other half 45 days after the beginning of the hormone application. Testicles were weighed, measured and has their volumes determined. The diameter of the tubules and the thickness of the seminiferous epithelium were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Control Group presented the highest values of testicles volume and weight. Rats in the Control presented normal histology. In G1 and G2 atrophy of the seminiferous tubules, apoptosis of germ cells and multinucleated giant cells were observed. Comparing groups, in the first operation Control rats had higher diameter values. In the second operation, the Control was only different from G1. As for thickness, Control had higher values in both operations. Comparing the time of operation, the diameter values were higher in G1 and G2 in the second operation. For all groups, the thickness of the epithelium was higher in the second operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human chorionic gonadotropin is gonadotoxic in rats. This effect was temporary and can affect reproductive potential. The total recovery of testicular damage in the studied range could not be proved, and the effects were not dose-dependent.
authors.affiliation: Surgery Department, Minas Gerais Federal University, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia Magnago
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Altoé
authors.affiliation: Surgery Department, UFMG, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edson Samesima
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Tatsuo
authors.affiliation: Surgery Department, Santa Casa de Misericordia de Vitoria, Vitoria, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danilo Nagib Salomão
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Paulo
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Espirito Santo Federal University, Brazil.
authors.forename: Robson
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jarske
authors.affiliation: Vila Velha University, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milagres
authors.affiliation: Vila Velha University, Brazil.
authors.forename: Igor Daniel
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Loureiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000379:methods; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D012102:Reproductive Control Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D012102:Reproductive Control Agents