Comparison of the protective effect of dipyridamole and acetylsalicylic acid on long-term histologic damage in a rat model of testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury

• Published in: Journal of pediatric surgery 2012-09, Vol.47 (9), p.1716-1723
• Main Authors: Karagüzel, Ersagun, Kutlu, Ömer, Yuluğ, Esin, Mungan, Sevdegül, Kazaz, İlke Onur, Tok, Doğan Sabri, Özgür, Güner Kemal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylsalicylic acid; Animals; Apoptosis - drug effects; Aspirin - pharmacology; Aspirin - therapeutic use; Dipyridamole; Dipyridamole - pharmacology; Dipyridamole - therapeutic use; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Administration Schedule; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Male; Pediatrics; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - pharmacology; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reperfusion injury; Reperfusion Injury - etiology; Reperfusion Injury - pathology; Reperfusion Injury - prevention & control; Spermatic Cord Torsion - complications; Spermatic Cord Torsion - pathology; Spermatozoa - drug effects; Spermatozoa - pathology; Surgery; Testicular torsion; Testis - drug effects; Testis - pathology; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0022-3468; 1531-5037
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2012.01.078

Abstract Purpose Ischemia reperfusion injury arising from testicular torsion results in a loss of spermatogenesis and a significant increase in germ cell apoptosis. We investigated the effects of dipyridamole and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), 2 well-known platelet inhibitors, on testicular ischemia reperfusion injury. Methods Thirty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 6 for each group): control, sham-operated, torsion/detorsion (T/D), T/D + dipyridamole, and T/D + ASA. Testicular ischemia was achieved by rotating the left testis 720° clockwise for 2 hours. Thirty minutes before torsion, 10 mg/kg dipyridamole was injected transperitoneally in the T/D + dipyridamole group, and 100 mg/kg ASA was injected transperitoneally in the T/D + ASA group. Sixty days after the initial surgical procedure, ipsilateral orchiectomies were performed for histopathologic examination to determine Johnsen's mean testicular biopsy score (MTBS), mean seminiferous tubular diameter (MSTD), and apoptotic index (AI) in all groups. Results Unilateral testicular torsion-detorsion led to a significant decrease in Johnsen's MTBS and MSTD values in the ipsilateral testis and a significant increase in AI values of the T/D group. There were no significant differences between the T/D + dipyridamole and control groups in terms of MSTD and MTBS values. Although an amount of improvement exits in T/D + ASA group, there were significant differences between the T/D + ASA and control group MSTD and MTBS values. There was no significant difference between the T/D + dipyridamole and control groups in terms of AI values ( P > .05), but the differences between the T/D + ASA and control groups were significant despite a slight decline in AI values of the T/D + ASA group. Conclusions Our findings show that the use of dipyridamole before testicular reperfusion has a potentially protective effect against long-term injury in testicular ischemia reperfusion injury.