title: Testicular Morphology and Spermatozoid Parameters in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Treated with Enalapril.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated testicular morphology and spermatozoid parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats treated with enalapril.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spontaneously hypertensive rats were assigned to a hypertensive nontreated group and a hypertensive enalapril treated group. Wistar-Kyoto normotensive rats served as controls. Systolic blood pressure was measured weekly. Spermatozoid concentration, motility and viability were determined in samples collected from the epididymal tail. Testicular morphology was analyzed by morphometric methods. All data were compared using ANOVA and the Tukey post test with p <0.05 considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Systolic blood pressure in the enalapril treated group was similar to that in controls but lower than in the nontreated group. Sperm concentration in the enalapril treated group was similar to that in controls and greater than in the nontreated group. Testicular vascular volumetric density decreased in the nontreated group while in enalapril treated rats this parameter was similar to that in controls. Volumetric density of the seminiferous epithelium in the enalapril treated group was higher than in the nontreated group and controls, indicating a possibly positive effect of enalapril on spermatogenesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this animal model hypertension caused morphological changes in the testis and upon spermatozoid production. Enalapril treatment partially protected the testicles from these alterations, restoring normal spermatozoid production.
authors.affiliation: Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Bechara
authors.affiliation: Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: diogobenchimol@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Diogo B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simoes
authors.affiliation: Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Felix-Patrício
authors.affiliation: Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Waldemar S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco J B
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sampaio
mesh_terms: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004656:Enalapril / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D004656:Enalapril
keywords: animal; enalapril; hypertension; models; spermatogenesis; testis