Thymoquinone improves testicular damage and sperm quality in experimentally varicocele-induced adolescent rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective and therapeutic effects of thymoquinone against the negative effects of varicocele on testicular tissue and sperm morphology. Five groups were formed by random selection from a total of 40 adult male Wistar rats (n = 8). Thymoquinone (5 mg/kg/day) was administered intraperitoneally to the varicocele-dimethyl sulfoxide-olive oil-thymoquinone (VT) group and the sham-thymoquinone group. At the end of the 60th day, all groups were anaesthetised and the left testis was removed from the body quickly. One half of the testis tissue, which was divided into two, was separated for biochemical and Western blot analysis, while the other half were fixed in Bouin's fixative. As a result of biochemical, molecular and histopathological analyses, a statistically significant increase was found in the varicocele group testicular tissues in the malondialdehyde level, apoptotic index, Bax expression, cytochrome c expression and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio compared with the sham group. In addition, histopathological changes characterised by partial or complete degeneration of the germinal epithelium were observed in the seminiferous tubules in the same group. Total oxidant status level and sperm count with abnormal morphology increased in varicocele group, whereas total antioxidant status level decreased. In the VT group, all of the biochemical, molecular and histopathological changes detected in the varicocele group were statistically significantly reduced. When the findings obtained in this study are evaluated, it can be said that thymoquinone has the potential to be used as a preventive and therapeutic pharmacological agent in the medical treatment of varicocele. Although the exact mechanism of action of thymoquinone has not been fully elucidated, the findings obtained in this study support the view that thymoquinone showed a cytoprotective effect by reducing apoptosis, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation.

Identification of irisin immunoreactivity in porcupine (Hystrix cristata) adrenal glands and kidneys.

Irisin, a novel peptide, was initially been shown to be expressed explicitly in the muscle tissues. We studied the presence of irisin immunoreactivity in porcupine adrenal glands and kidneys. Immunocytochemistry showed that irisin was localised both in the adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla. In organs, irisin immunoreactivity was found in the tubular and collecting system of the nephron. The functional role of irisin in the adrenal gland and kidney has not been precisely yet. However, irisin might have a paracrine and autocrine function as do other locally produced peptides.

The effects of prepubertal epididymal ligation upon the rat testis.

BACKGROUND: Previous researches about the effects of epididymal obstruction on the testes are contradictory, and the mechanism harmful effect of male duct system obstruction on seminiferous tubules still remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of epididymal obstruction in prepubertal rats on the testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 days of age, the young rats were divided at random in two groups for epididymal ligation (n=25) or sham operation (n=15). Both groups were sacrificed at 21, 35, 56, 90, 120 days. The testis were removed, fixed in Bouin's fixative and embedded in paraffin wax. The tissues were sectioned at 5 µm and stained with haematoxylin-eosin and triple stain. RESULTS: In ligated rats the first histological alterations were detected at 56 days. These degenerative changes included increase at the seminiferous tubule diameter and basal membrane thickness, decrease at the germinal epithelium thickness, depletion of spermatids and presence of multinucleated spermatids. In 90 and 120 days ligation groups; germ cells greatly reduced in number. CONCLUSION: progressive degenerative alterations occurred in the seminiferous tubules after prepubertal epididymal obstruction but these degenerative alterations are not observed until puberta and in the seminiferous tubules that showed extensive degeneration, seminiferous epithelium was composed mainly of Sertoli cells.

Effects of prepubertal epididymal ligation on the androgen receptor distribution of the rat testis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of prepubertal epididymal obstruction on the androgen receptor (AR) distribution in the testis. STUDY DESIGN: Young rats were randomly divided into 2 groups for epididymal ligation and sham operation. In the ligation group the corpus epididymides were ligated bilaterally, while only laparatomy operation was performed in the sham group. Both groups were sacrificed at 21, 35, 56, 90 and 120 days. The testes were removed, fixed in Bouin's fixative and embedded in paraffin wax. The tissues were sectioned at 5 microm, stained with hematoxylin-eosin, and a microwave simulated antigen retrieval technique was used for immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The first pathological alterations in the testes of ligated animals were observed at 56 days, and after that the alterations continued progressively. In 90 and 120 days of ligation the number of germ cells was reduced and seminiferous epithelium was mainly composed of Sertoli cells. AR immunostaining was detected in the nuclei of peritubular myoid cells, Sertoli cells, Leydig cells and pericytes but not in germ cells of the sham group rats. Except for the Sertoli cells, immunostaining properties of the ligation group rats were similar with those of the sham group. CONCLUSION: Progressive degenerative alterations occurred in the seminiferous tubules after prepubertal epididymal obstruction. The nuclei of Sertoli cells were not AR immunostaining in extensively degenerated seminiferous tubules.