Involvement of the mesenteric ganglia on androstenedione, noradrenaline and nitrite release using a testis ex vivo system

Abstract

The autonomic nerve fibres converge to the testis along two major pathways, the superior spermatic nerve (SSN) and the inferior spermatic nerve (ISN). The object of this work was to evaluate whether the addition of noradrenaline (NA) in the ganglionic compartment of two ex vivo systems: superior mesenteric ganglion (SMG)-SSN-testis, inferior mesenteric ganglion (IMG)-ISN-testis modulate androstenedione (A₂), NA and nitrite release and to determine whether there are secretory differences between the right and the left testis. Each gonad with its respective ganglion was transferred into a cuvette with two compartments and incubated in a Dubnoff metabolic shaker. The testis incubation liquids were collected and analysed for NA by HPLC, A₂ by RIA and nitrites by the Griess method. When NA is added to the IMG, A₂ and NA release diminishes and nitrite increases in the left testis, while in the right gonad, A₂ and NA increase and nitrite decreases. When NA was administered to the SMG, A₂ and NA increase and nitrite diminishes in the left gonad, but they show opposite fluctuations in the right testis. These ex vivo systems appear to be excellent models for studying the sympathetic ganglionic control of the testis though A₂, NA and nitrite release from the male gonad. It is evident that a better knowledge about the role of catecholamines and nitric oxide in the testis physiology may facilitate the understanding of some reproductive diseases.

Is nitrate a good biomarker of the nitric oxide status? / Este ionul nitrat un bun biomarker al producţiei endogene de monoxid de azot?

“…The experiments made with the blank suggest that the changes in nitrite concentrations are more predictable than those of nitrate, and should, therefore, be used preferentially when an spontaneous change in the nitric oxide status is tracked. In this case, NOx concentrations measured as a sum of nitrite and nitrate, as it is done frequently in scientific literature for assessment of human nitric oxide status (8)(9)(10)(11)(12), could lead to misinterpretation of data. Literature data shows that epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (9), changes in the mesenteric arteries of diabetic patients (10), were correlated with the concentration of NOx.…”

“…There are several cases described in the literature, in which NOx concentrations measured as a sum are linked to several diseases (8)(9)(10)(11)(12), but in these cases long term changes in nitric oxide formation is tracked. In such cases, nitrate concentrations increase if high nitrite amounts are generated continuously, due to its far higher half life (5.8 hours) compared with that of nitrite (0.58 hours).…”

“…This is based on the reduction of nitrate to nitrite by various reagents, followed by the well known Griess reaction when a colored azo dye is formed after the reaction of nitrite with sulphanilic acid and 1-naphtylamine (8)(9)(10)(11)(12).…”