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Comparison of erythropoietin and sildenafil protective role against ischemia/reperfusion injury of the testis in adult rats

International Urology and Nephrology volume 46, pages 731–736 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Tissue damage in testicular torsion/detorsion is caused not only by the ischemia, but also by the ischemia/reperfusion injury after detorsion. Erythropoietin and sildenafil are considered to protect against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Here, we studied and compared their actions in testicular torsion/detorsion in adult rats.

Methods

Twenty-two adult male Wistar Albino rats were divided into four groups. Rats in group A (n = 5) were sham operated. Rats in group B (n = 5), group C (n = 6) and group D (n = 6) underwent torsion of the right testis and detorsion after 90 min. No pharmaceutical intervention was performed in group B. Erythropoietin (1,000 IU/kg) and sildenafil (0.7 mg/kg) were injected intraperitoneally in groups C and D, respectively, after 60 min of torsion. All animals were killed 24 h after detorsion, and their right testis was extracted, placed into 10 % formalin solution and sent for histopathological examination. The histological changes in the testes were scored according to the four-point grading system proposed by Cosentino et al.

Results

All rats in group A had normal testicular architecture (grade 1). The untreated group B had a mean grade of 3.81 (range 3.65–4). The treated groups C (mean grade 3.24; range 3.05–3.45) and D (2.69, range 2.4–2.9) presented statistically significant better results (lower grades) compared with the untreated group B. Group D had significantly better results (lower grades) than group C.

Conclusions

The intraperitoneal injection of erythropoietin and sildenafil protects against ischemia/reperfusion injury after testicular torsion and detorsion. Sildenafil may have a stronger action than erythropoietin at the doses used in this study.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Affiliations

  1. Third Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, 1 Rimini Street, Chaidari, 12462, Athens, Greece

    Nick Zavras

  2. Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research “N.S. Christeas”, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, 15b Agiou Thoma Street, 11527, Athens, Greece

    Ioannis D. Kostakis, Christos Damaskos, Evangelos Roupakas, Eleni Tsagkari, Eleftherios Spartalis, Ismene A. Dontas & Theodore Karatzas

  3. Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, “Laiko” General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, 17 Agiou Thoma Street, 11527, Athens, Greece

    Ioannis D. Kostakis, Christos Damaskos, Evangelos Roupakas, Eleni Tsagkari, Eleftherios Spartalis & Theodore Karatzas

  4. First Department of Pathology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527, Athens, Greece

    Stratigoula Sakellariou

  5. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Penteli General Children’s Hospital, 8 Ippokratous Street, 15236 Nea Penteli, Athens, Greece

    Konstantinos Velaoras

  6. 27 Achridos Street, Kato Patissia, 11144, Athens, Greece

    Ioannis D. Kostakis

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  1. Nick Zavras
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  2. Ioannis D. Kostakis
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  9. Ismene A. Dontas
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  10. Theodore Karatzas
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Correspondence to Ioannis D. Kostakis.

Additional information

Nick Zavras and Ioannis D. Kostakis have contributed equally to this work.

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Zavras, N., Kostakis, I.D., Sakellariou, S. et al. Comparison of erythropoietin and sildenafil protective role against ischemia/reperfusion injury of the testis in adult rats. Int Urol Nephrol 46, 731–736 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-013-0569-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-013-0569-x

Keywords

  • Testicular torsion
  • Ischemia/reperfusion injury
  • Erythropoietin
  • Sildenafil
  • Rats