Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of unilateral testicular torsion on contralateral testis in a rat model

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Pediatric Surgery International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the function of the contralateral testis after unilateral testicular torsion (UTT) and its possible mechanism.

Methods

56 rats were randomly divided into four groups: Group A: Sham operation, Group B: Testicular torsion (TT)+normal saline (NS), Group C: Testicular torsion (TT)+cyclosporine, Group D: Testicular torsion (TT)+NG-Monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA). The right testes were removed 1 week and 8 weeks after surgery, respectively. Biochemistry and histopathologic evaluations were used to evaluate the germ cell damage.

Results

Compared with Group A, the levels of malondialchehyche (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO)/nitricoxide synthase (NOS) were increased remarkably in Group B. Significant differences were shown between histopathological damages and density and motility of sperm in two groups. Compared with Group B, the levels of MDA and NO/NOS in Group D decreased significantly while mean seminiferous tubule diameter (MSTD) and mean testicular biopsy scoring (MTBS) maintained in a better condition. The levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) peptide-tetramer complex in Group C and Group D decreased significantly than Group B, while sperm density and motility were significantly higher than Group B. It was also known that the histopathological damages in Group C and Group D were less than those in Group B in the 8 weeks after operation.

Conclusion

UTT can cause impairment of contralateral testicular function and decrease of spermatogenic function. The mechanism may be related to ischemia–reperfusion (IR) in early stage and autoimmune response in late stage.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dejban P, Rahimi N, Takzare N et al (2019) Protective effects of sumatriptan on ischaemia/reperfusion injury following torsion/detorsion in ipsilateral and contralateral testes of rat. Andrologia 51:e13358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Pogorelić Z, Mrklić I, Jurić I et al (2013) Testicular torsion in the inguinal canal in children. J Pediatr Urol 9:793–797

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Cummings JM, Boullier JA, Sekhon D et al (2002) Adult testicular torsion. J Urol 167:2109–2110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Oral A, Halici Z, Bayir Y et al (2017) Effects of oral zinc administration on long-term ipsilateral and contralateral testes damage after experimental testis ischaemia-reperfusion. Andrologia 49:e12673

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Taskinen S, Taskinen M, Rintala R et al (2008) Testicular torsion: orchiectomy or orchiopexy. J Pediatr Urol 4:210–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Andiran F, Okur DH, Kilinç A et al (2000) Do experimentally induced ipsilateral testicular torsion, vas deferens obstruction, intra-abdominal testis or venous obstruction damage the contralateral testis through a common mechanism. BJU Int 85:330–335

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Abat D, Bayazıt Y, Açıkalın A et al (2018) Beneficial effects of rolipram, a phosphodiesterase 4 specific inhibitor, on testicular torsion-detorsion injury in rats. J Pediatr Surg 53:2261–2265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Shokoohi M, Shoorei H, Soltani M et al (2018) Protective effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of Fumaria parviflora on testicular injury induced by torsion/detorsion in adult rats. Andrologia 50:e13047

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Zheng N, Shao H, Wu D et al (2018) Protective influence of rosiglitazone against testicular ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Andrologia 50:e12947

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ghasemnejad-Berenji M, Ghazi-Khansari M, Yazdani I et al (2018) Effect of metformin on germ cell-specific apoptosis, oxidative stress and epididymal sperm quality after testicular torsion/detorsion in rats. Andrologia 50:e12846

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Yazdani I, Ghazi-Khansari M, Saeedi Saravi SS et al (2017) Nortriptyline protects testes against germ cell apoptosis and oxidative stress induced by testicular ischaemia/reperfusion. Andrologia 49:e12605

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Ozokutan BH, Küçükaydin M, Muhtaroğlu S et al (2000) The role of nitric oxide in testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury. J Pediatr Surg 35:101–103

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Son Y, Choi J, Kim B et al (2019) Cyclosporin A inhibits differentiation and activation of monocytic cells induced by 27-hydroxycholesterol. Int Immunopharmacol 69:358–367

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Cosentino MJ, Nishida M, Rabinowitz R et al (1986) Histopathology of prepubertal rat testes subjected to various durations of spermatic cord torsion. J Androl 7:23–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kazemi-Darabadi S, Asadpour R, Shahbazfar AA et al (2019) Effects of L-carnitine and betamethasone on ischemia-reperfusion injuries and sperm parameters following testicular torsion in a rat model. Vet Res Forum 10:125–132

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Sukhotnik I, Miselevich I, Lurie M et al (2005) The time relationship between ipsilateral testicular ischemia and germ cell apoptosis in the contralateral testis in rat. Pediatr Surg Int 21:512–516

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Turner TT, Tung KS, Tomomasa H et al (1997) Acute testicular ischemia results in germ cell-specific apoptosis in the rat. Biol Reprod 57:1267–1274

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Dejban P, Rahimi N, Takzare N et al (2019) Beneficial effects of dapsone on ischemia/reperfusion injury following torsion/detorsion in ipsilateral and contralateral testes in rat. Theriogenology 140:136–142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Yíldíz H, Durmus AS, Simşek H et al (2011) Protective effect of sildenafil citrate on contralateral testis injury after unilateral testicular torsion/detorsion. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 66:137–142

    Google Scholar 

  20. Koşar A, Küpeli B, Alçigir G et al (1999) Immunologic aspect of testicular torsion: detection of antisperm antibodies in contralateral testicle. Eur Urol 36:640–644

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Rahimi A, Sepehri H, Pakravesh J et al (1999) Quantification of C3 and C4 in infertile men with antisperm antibody in their seminal plasma. Am J Reprod Immunol 41:330–336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Schmidt J, Dojcinovic D, Guillaume P et al (2013) Analysis, isolation, and activation of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells by soluble MHC-peptide complexes. Front Immunol 4:218

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank our colleagues from the Department of Pediatric Surgery, for their assistance with data collection.

Funding

This work was supported by the Science and Technology Bureay of Wenzhou (Y20190085), the Medical and Health Science Project of Zhejiang Province (2020KY645) and Yumiao project of The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Zhaobo Xia and Jun Hu contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, Zhejiang, China

    Zhaobo Xia, Jun Hu, Qiongzhang Xia, Fangbin Shao & Xiaokun Lin

  2. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650101, Yunnan, China

    Lei Han

Authors
  1. Zhaobo Xia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jun Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lei Han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Qiongzhang Xia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Fangbin Shao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xiaokun Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaokun Lin.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the ethic committee of The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Xia, Z., Hu, J., Han, L. et al. Effect of unilateral testicular torsion on contralateral testis in a rat model. Pediatr Surg Int 36, 529–536 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-020-04626-y

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-020-04626-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation