Role of angiotensin and endothelin in testicular ischemia reperfusion injury.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether angiotensin and endothelin have any role in testicular ischemia reperfusion injury by investigating the effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril, selective non-peptide angiotensin-II type I blocker losartan and dual endothelin receptor blocker bosentan.

METHODS

Rats were anesthetized with thiopental sodium (50 mg/kg i.p.) before the operation. The left testicular artery and vein of rats were occluded for 1 h; before the bilateral orchiectomy, the organ was allowed to reperfuse for 3 h or 24 h. Enalapril (20 mg/kg i.p.), losartan (30 mg/kg i.p.), bosentan (10 mg/kg i.p.) or vehicle (saline) were given 30 min before reperfusion. Malondialdehyde level was measured in testicular tissue after 3 h of reperfusion. Histological examination was carried out after 24 h of reperfusion.

RESULTS

Ischemia reperfusion caused a significant increase in malondialdehyde level of ipsilateral testis, and histopathological injury in both ipsilateral and contralateral testes. Enalapril, losartan and bosentan treatments prevented the ischemia reperfusion-induced augmentation in malondialdehyde levels. Only bosentan treatment ameloriated ischemia reperfusion-induced histopathological alterations.

CONCLUSIONS

Endothelin might play a more important role in pathogenesis of testicular ischemia reperfusion injury when compared with angiotensin.