OBJECTIVE:To investigate the protective effects of L-carnitine upon testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.METHODS:Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups (n = 10). In those animals undergoing unilateral testicular torsion, right testes were rotated 720 degrees for 2 h. Sham operated group served as a control group. Torsion group underwent 2 h torsion and saline was injected intraperitoneally at 30 min pre-detorsion. Treatment group underwent similar torsion but L-carnitine (500 mg/kg) was infused intraoperatively. The right testes of 5 animals in each group were excised after 4 h reperfusion for measuring the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), evaluation of activities of antioxidant enzyme including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Histopathological changes and germ cell apoptosis indices (AI) were determined at 24 h post-detorsion in right testes of the remaining 5 animals in each group.RESULTS:The mean number of apoptotic nuclei per tubule cross section and the malondialdehyde level were significantly lower in treatment group as compared with torsion group [AI( 6.87 +/- 2.47) vs (17.13 +/- 3.56), MDA (160 +/- 15) vs (199 +/- 15) nmol/g]. Activities of antioxidant enzyme and the level of HSP70 were significantly higher in treatment group than those in torsion group [SOD (1638 +/- 153) vs (1078 158) U/g, CAT (317 +/- 28) vs (188 +/- 33) U/g, GPx (667 +/- 94) vs (311 +/- 65) U/g, HSP70 (0.87 +/- 0.13) vs (0.25 +/- 0.04)]. The pathological damage of testes in the treatment group was lighter than that in the torsion group (all P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS:The administration of L-carnitine exerts a beneficial effect upon testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury. This effect may be achieved through an induced expression of HSP70.

PURPOSE:To investigate the change in expression levels of c-kit and SCF, and the protective effects of FSH on ischemia-reperfusion injury due to testicular torsion-detorsion.METHODS:24 adult male SD rats were divided into three groups of 8: control group, testicular torsion group and FSH-treated group. The control group was treated with sham-operation. Animals in the testicular torsion and FSH-treated groups were subjected to unilateral 720 degrees counterclockwise testicular torsion for 2 hours and then reperfusion was allowed after detorsion. The FSH-treated group received intraperitoneal injection of FSH 15min before detorsion. Then, the rats were sacrificed and the testes were harvested. Histopathological changes were observed by light microscope, and the expression levels of c-kit, SCF in testicular tissue in the different groups were detected by Immunohistochemical assay and Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR analysis. Finally, the relative proportions of germ cells were measured by FCM.RESULTS:c-kit and SCF were positive expressed in 52.58% and 61.16% of testicular cells of control tissues, respectively. Decreases of c-kit and SCF positive cells (15.01% and 9.18%) were found in the testicular torsion group. After being treated by FSH, the number of positive cells increased (31.25% and 20.01%). Moreover, the c-kit and SCF mRNA expression was increased dramatically (P < 0.01) in response to FSH stimulation. Furthermore, the number of haploid, diploid and tetraploid cells has also increased significantly in drug-treated testes (P < 0.01).CONCLUSION:The mechanism of tissue damage in the testicular torsion model, includes changes in the expression of c-kit and SCF following torsion. Also, FSH has a protective effect on germ cells after unilateral testicular torsion, which was reflected by increased c-kit and SCF levels.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the relationship between the apoptosis of epididymal epithelium and the change of epididymal carnitine following testicular torsion/detorsion in rats.METHODS:Twenty-four healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: Group A (2-hr torsion), Group B (5-hr torsion) and a control group (0-hr torsion). The ipsilateral epididymides were collected for detecting the content of carnitine by DTNB technique and the apoptosis of epididymal epithelium by TUNEL technique.RESULTS:Twenty-four hours after the treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in the apoptosis of epididymal epithelium and the content of epididymal carnitine between the 2-hr torsion/detorsion group and the control (P > 0.05). However, there was statistically significant difference in the apoptosis of epididymal epithelium and the content of epididymal carnitine between the 5-hr group and the control (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:Twenty-four hours after 2-hr testicular torsion/detorsion, the carnitine-concentrating function of the epididymis may remain normal and the apoptosis index of epididymal epithelium does not increase significantly, while one day after 5-hr testicular torsion/detorsion, the apoptosis index increases and the carnitine-concentrating function decreases.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Proxeed on asthenospermi. Methods Five patients with asthenospermi were received at our clinic of andrology from May 2005 to September 2005, and given oral Proxeed 3.0 g/ d for 3 months. The sperm parameters of the patients were analyzed by computer-aided semen analysis (CASA) before and after Proxeed treatment. Results The sperm parameters of 5 patients were significantly improved in sperm concentration, forward sperm motility, total sperm motility, straight line velocity, curvilinear velocity, and average path velocity per ejaculation (P < 0.05). Conclusion Oral Proxeed therapy is efficacious for asthenospermi.

Objective:To investigate the change and implication of epididymis carntine after 24 hours following 2-or 5-hour torsing/ detorsing of testes in rats.Methods:Twenty-four adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to unilateral 720 degrees testicular torsion for 2 and 5 hours and then repaired.The ischemic epididymides were collected for detecting the content of carnitine by DTNB.Results:There was no statistically significant difference between the content of epididymis carnitine after 24 hours following 2-hour torsing/ detorsing of testes and that of the sham group,while significant difference was found between the content of epididymis carnitine after 24 hours following 5-hour torsing/ detorsing of testes and that of sham group.Conclusions:Carnitne secreting function of epididymis can remain normal after 24 hours following 2-hour torsing/ detorsing of testes,and be injured after 24 houes following 5-hour torsing/ detorsing of testes.The epididymis remains resistant to ischemic damage during testicular ischemia.