title: Testicular immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural changes associated with chronic cholestasis in rats: Effect of ursodeoxycholic acid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Testicular atrophy has been commonly reported in patients with chronic liver diseases. Ursodeoxycholic acid is the most widely used drug for the treatment of many liver diseases. However, its effect on testicular ultrastructure associated with chronic cholestasis has never been studied. Thus, this study aimed to assess how chronic obstructive jaundice affects the testicular ultrastructure and whether it affects the androgen receptor or the proliferating cell nuclear antigen. The role of ursodeoxycholic acid was also investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cholestasis was induced by bile duct ligation. Samples were collected 4weeks postoperative. Testicular changes were assessed using immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chronic cholestasis resulted in testicular atrophy evidenced by shrinkage and deformation of seminiferous tubules, thickening of peritubular boundaries, vacuolation, disorganization of germ cells, and maturation arrest. This was accompanied by decreased immunoreactivity of androgen receptors and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Administration of ursodeoxycholic acid improved the testicular morphology and reversed cholestasis-induced immunohistochemical and ultrastructural changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ursodeoxycholic acid can improve the testicular ultrastructure and restore the spermatogenic process in rats with chronic cholestasis. These findings support the clinical application of ursodeoxycholic acid in cholestatic patients especially those with hypogonadism.
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, 11566 Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: yomna_ia@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Yomna I
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid
keywords: Androgen receptor; Cholestasis; Proliferating cell nuclear antigen; Rat; Testis; Ultrastructure; Ursodeoxycholic acid