Protective effect of vascular endothelial growth factor on histologic changes in testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on long-term histologic damage in testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Design: Controlled experimental study using rats.

Setting: University of Mersin School of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey.

Animal(s): Sixteen adult male Wistar rats.

Intervention(s): Five rats underwent 2 hours of testicular torsion. Six rats received VEGF injection into the testis before detorsion. Five rats underwent sham operation.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Mean seminiferous tubular diameter (MSTD), germinal epithelial cell thickness (GECT), mean testicular biopsy score (MTBS), and apoptosis (caspase-3-positive cells).

Result(s): Testicular torsion-detorsion caused a significant decrease in MSTD, GECT, and MTBS and a significant increase in the mean value of caspase-3-positive cells in ipsilateral testes but not in the contralateral testes. The MSTD, GECT, and MTBS of the ipsilateral testes were significantly higher in the group treated with VEGF than in the torsion-detorsion group. The animals treated with VEGF had a significant decrease in the mean value of ipsilateral testicular caspase-3-positive cells compared with the torsion-detorsion group.

Conclusion(s): Vascular endothelial growth factor might have a role in testicular damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion. Administering VEGF before reperfusion might have the potential to decrease the long-term histologic damage after testicular torsion.