Experimental varicocele affects the ipsilateral testis in rats.
- Author:
Yi-Qun ZHENG
1
;
Xiao-Bin ZHANG
;
Fan CHENG
;
Ben-Zheng ZHOU
;
Ting RAO
;
An-Hua FEI
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Animals; Apoptosis; Disease Models, Animal; Infertility, Male; Male; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Seminiferous Epithelium; cytology; ultrastructure; Testis; chemistry; metabolism; Testosterone; metabolism; Varicocele; metabolism; physiopathology
- From:National Journal of Andrology 2008;14(9):805-809
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of experimental varicocele (EV) on the ipsilateral testis in rats.
METHODSEV was induced by partial ligation of the left renal vein in male SD rats, the control rats subjected to sham operation, and the testes of the EV models and controls were extirpated 6, 12, and 18 weeks later. Johnson's score, ultrastructure of seminiferous tubules, intratesticular testosterone concentration (ITC) and germ cell apoptotic index (AI) of each left testis were evaluated.
RESULTSJohnson's scores were (6.92 +/- 0.52), (4.83 +/- 0.41) and (2.95 +/- 0.26), ITCswere (6.32 +/- 0.85), (5.17 +/- 0.76) and (4.11 +/- 0.69) and AIs were (5.32 +/- 1.23), (15.21 +/- 0.97) and (21.13 +/- 1.12) respectively in the 6 w , 12 w and 18 w EV groups, significantly lower than in the corresponding control groups, (9.56 +/- 0.35, 9.63 +/- 0.31, 9.39 +/- 0.46), (9.64 +/- 1.23, 9.38 +/- 0.69, 9.73 +/- 0.49) and (3.21 +/- 1.15, 3.43 +/- 1.21, 3.61 +/- 1. 15) (P < 0.05), the former two showing a gradual decline while the latter a significant elevation with the increasing duration of varicocele. The damage to the ultrastructure of seminiferous tubules was aggravated with the prolonging of varicocele.
CONCLUSIONEV can cause a progressive decline of ITC, dyszoospermia and increased AI of germ cells.
