Effect of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 on apoptosis of rat testicular germ cells induced by testicular torsion

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To investigate the possible protective role of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1, reported to have a protective effect in experimental models of hypoxic ischaemia), and the involvement of apoptotic cell death in a model of torsion/detorsion of the rat testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Adult male Wistar rats were divided into five groups of five rats each. Group 1 underwent a sham operation as a control; in group 2 the testis was twisted and in group 3 then untwisted; in group 4 IGF‐1 was injected subcutaneously just before bilateral torsion, and then the right testis removed after 4 h and the left after 24 h; in group 5, IGF‐1 was injected immediately after bilateral detorsion and then the testes removed as in group 4. Both testicles were examined histologically, with apoptosis detected using the in situ DNA fragmentation (TUNEL) system, with combined enzymology and immunohistochemistry techniques. RESULTS In groups 2 (torsion) and 3 (detorsion), light microscopy of the testis showed some degenerative changes in the germ cells. Compared to group 1, apoptosis was more significant in group 3 than in the other groups. Group 4 (torsion/IGF‐1) had a similar number of apoptotic germ cells as in group 2 (torsion) after 24 h, but fewer than the same group after 4 h. In group 5 (detorsion/IGF‐1), apoptosis was reduced by IGF‐1 significantly more than in group 3 (P < 0.05). Apoptosis was significantly less in spermatids in group 5 than in group 3 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS IGF‐1 seems to lower the levels of germ cell apoptosis, which may be important for protecting the testes from torsion/detorsion injury. Further clinical studies are needed to evaluate this protective effect in testicular torsion/detorsion.

Dehydroepiandrosterone treatment attenuates reperfusion injury after testicular torsion and detorsion in rats

“…The importance of ROS in the pathway to testicular T/D injury is also supported by the finding that oxygen radical scavengers prevent or ameliorate testicular loss of spermatogenesis after repair of testicular torsion in several studies [17,19,24]. In our study, we observed that the level of ipsilateral testicular MDA was significantly increased in the T/D and the T/D + vehicle groups.…”

IGF-1R Signaling Is Essential for the Proliferation of Cultured Mouse Spermatogonial Stem Cells by Promoting the G2/M Progression of the Cell Cycle

“…Another study showed that IGF-1 also stimulated the differentiation of type A spermatogonia using the mouse testicular fragments [55]. IGF-1 was also reported to protect rat germ cells from apoptosis induced by testicular torsion [56]. These early studies provide valuable clues for the roles of IGF-1R signaling in spermatogenesis.…”

Effects of melatonin on spermatogenesis and testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury after unilateral testicular torsion-detorsion

“…In addition, MgSO 4 , propofol, epidermal growth factor, insulin-like growth factor 1, 3-aminobenzamide, human chorionic gonadotropin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and ginkgo biloba [28] were reported to be useful in TT [29][30][31][32][33][34][35].…”