Author/Authors :
Ghasemnejad-berenji, Morteza Department of Pharmacology - School of Medicine -Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran - Experimental Medicine Research Center - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran - Department of Pharmacology - Faculty of Pharmacy - Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Ghazi-Khansari, Mahmoud Department of Pharmacology - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Yazdani, Iraj Department of Pharmacology - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran - Experimental Medicine Research Center - tehran University of Medical Sciences , Saeedi Saravi, Soheil Department of Pharmacology - Faculty of Pharmacy - Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht , Nobakht, Maliheh Department of Anatomy - School of Medicine - Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Abdollahi, Alireza Department of Pathology - Cancer Institute - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Ansari, Mohajer Department of Anatomy - School of Medicine - Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Ghasemnejad-berenji, Hojjat Department of Anatomy and Reproductive Biology - School of Medicine - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Pashapour, Sarvin Department of Pathology - Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Dehpour, Ahmad Reza Department of Pharmacology - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran - Experimental Medicine Research Center - Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Abstract :
Objective(s):Rapamycin is an immunosuppressant compound with a broad spectrum of pharmaco-logical activities. In recent years, it has been used successfully to decrease ischemia-reperfusion injury in several organ systems. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of rapamycin on testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two adult male Wistar rats were divided into six groups: control (group1), sham-operated (Group2), T/D + DMSO as vehicle group (group3), and groups 4–6; respectively received 0.5, 1, and 1.5 mgkg-1 of rapamycin , IP 30 min before detorsion. Ischemia was achieved by twisting the right testis 720o clockwise for 1 hr. The right testis of 6 animals from each group were excised 4 hr after detorsion for the measurement of lipid peroxidation, caspase-3, and antioxidant enzyme activities. Histopathological changes and germ cell apoptosis were determined by measuring mean of seminiferous tubules diameters (MSTD) and TUNEL test in right testis of 6 animals per group, 24 hr after detorsion. Results: Testicular T/D caused increases in the apoptosis, malondialdehyde (MDA), and caspase-3 levels and decreases in the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in ipsilateral testis (P<0.001). The rats treated with rapamycin had significant decreases in the MDA and caspase-3 levels and significant increases in the SOD, CAT and GPx activities in ipsilateral testis compared with the T/D group (P<0.001); germ cell apoptosis was decreased, and MSTD was improved.
Conclusion: Rapamycin administration during testicular torsion decreased ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) cellular damage.
Keywords :
Apoptosis , Ischemia-reperfusion , Rapamycin , Testicular torsion , Testis
