Modulating the oxidative and inflammatory response: The therapeutic potential of vasopressin in ovarian torsion-detorsion injury.

BACKGROUND

Ovarian torsion is a serious emergency that can lead to female infertility. Vasopressin (VP) is a potent vasoconstrictor with potential anti-inflammatory properties.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of VP administration on damage caused by ovarian torsion-detorsion in rats.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Twenty-four mature female albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6): group 1 (control), group 2 (sham, surgery without torsion-detorsion), group 3 (torsion-detorsion surgery without treatment) (TD), and group 4 (torsion-detorsion surgery with vasopressin) (VP). VP (0.1 μg/kg) was administered via the tail vein 15 min before surgery, then twice daily for 15 days. After treatment, the rats were euthanized, and biochemical parameters were measured using commercial kits. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured. Additionally, mRNA levels of p53, BAX, BCL-2, Caspase-3, and SERCA2a were evaluated by real-time PCR, along with SIRT1 and NF-κB expression in ovarian tissue. Histological changes of the ovary were examined using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and Masson's trichrome.

RESULTS

Ovarian torsion-detorsion induced oxidative stress, increasing MDA production while decreasing the activities of GSH-Px and SOD. Furthermore, ovarian tissue showed increased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and NF-κB, along with higher mRNA expression of BAX, p53, and caspase-3, and decreased BCL-2, indicating heightened inflammatory and apoptotic activity. The findings indicated that administering VP (0.1 μg/kg) mitigated these oxidative damage, inflammation, and programmed cell death, leveraging its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

CONCLUSION

The study suggests a potential protective role of vasopressin (VP) in mitigating histopathological changes, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress following ovarian torsion detorsion in rats. Consequently, VP could be a potential therapeutic option for ovarian ischemia-reperfusion injury.