Impact of ethane dimethane sulfonate on the histological structures of seminal vesicles in adult rats / 中华男科学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of ethane dimethane sulfonate (EDS) injection on the volumes of different histological structures in the seminal vesicles of adult rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-seven male SD rats aged approximately 90 days were randomly divided into a control group (n = 14) and an EDS group (n = 13) to receive one intraperitoneal injection of normal saline and EDS (75 mg/kg bodyweight), respectively. At 7 and 12 days after treatment, the unilateral seminal vesicles were removed, methacrylate resin-embedded sections prepared and the total volumes of various structures in the seminal vesicles estimated using stereological methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>EDS treatment almost completely destroyed the Leydig cells in the testis, resulting in a drastic testosterone deficiency. The volume of the seminal vesicle (including the coagulating gland attached to the vesicle) was decreased by 53% in the 7 d EDS group (n = 6) in comparison with the 7 d control group (n = 7) ([138.2 +/- 12.9] vs [64.9 +/- 3.6] mm3, P < 0.01), but showed no significant difference between the 7 d and the 12 d EDS (n = 7) groups ([64.9 +/- 3.6] vs [55.4 +/- 7.7] mm3, P > 0.05). The total volumes of the glandular lumen, glandular epithelium, smooth muscular layer and adventitia were decreased by 96.7, 80.3, 57.6 and 67.0%, respectively, in the 12 d EDS group as compared with the 12 d control group (n = 7).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EDS induces drastic testosterone deficiency in adult rats, and significantly reduces the total volumes of the seminal vesicle lumen, glandular epithelium, smooth muscular layer and adventitia.</p>