Oxidative and Antioxidative Status in the Testes of Rats with Acute Epididymitis

Abstract

Introduction: Epididymitis is an inflammation or infection of the epididymis, a convoluted duct that lies on the posterior surface of the testicle. Oxidative stress due to excessive production of reactive oxygen species in epididymitis, impaired antioxidant defense mechanisms, or both, precipitates a range of pathologies that are currently believed to negatively affect the male reproductive function. How oxidative stress affects the testes isstill unknown. We aimed to investigate the oxidative and antioxidative status of testes of rats with unilateral acute Escherichia coli epididymitis. Methods: The study included 36 male Wistar albino rats which were divided into three groups. In the epididymitis group (n = 12), an E. coli suspension was injected into the right ductus deferens of rats, and the same amount of saline was injected in the saline groups (n = 12). No surgery was performed in the control group (n = 12) for baseline values. Rats were sacrificed after 24 h and the epididymes and testes removed. The infection was confirmed by histopathologic evaluation and microbiological tests. The oxidative status of testes was evaluated by measuring myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and antioxidative status was evaluated by measuring total antioxidant response (TAR) and total antioxidant capacity levels (TAC). Results: MPO activity in both the ipsilateral and contralateral testes of the epididymitis group was significantly higher than those of the saline and control groups (p <0.05). The TAR and TAC levels in both testes were also significantly elevated in the epididymitis group versus the two other groups (p <0.05). Conclusions: Acute epididymitis causes an increase of oxidative stress in the ipsilateral and contralateral testes, but this condition is strived for to tolerate the increase of endogenous antioxidants.

Effects of Acute Epididymitis on Blood Plasma Oxidative and Antioxidative Status in an Experimental Rat Model

“…It may be stated that oxidative stress can be solved by the endogenous antioxidant defense system, but an increased TP level in the saline group shows that infection itself is not responsible for the oxidative response. As shown in a previous study [9] , epididymal manipulations accompanied with inflammation and irritation may contribute to this result. Nevertheless, the antioxidative response due to oxidative stress in the saline group was not as high as in the epididymitis group.…”

“…ROS are postulated to be mediators of damage to spermatozoa and are related to decreased motility, abnormal morphology and reduced capacity for sperm penetration into the oocyte [6][7][8] . We have also demonstrated the oxidative effects of epididymitis on bilateral testes previously [9] .…”

“…In the clinical setting, delay in management of epididymitis may lead to severe complications requiring extended abscess formation, infertility or even late testicular atrophy [5,6] . Despite the fact that oxidative stress has been demonstrated in the seminal plasma of patients with epididymitis [7,8] and bilateral testes of rats with unilateral acute epididymitis [9] , oxidative/ antioxidative status in the blood plasma has not been studied yet.…”

Effect of experimentally induced Escherichia coli epididymo‐orchitis and ciprofloxacin treatment on rat spermatogenesis

“…For example, Kaya et al . has demonstrated experimental unilateral epididymitis to promote increased oxidative stress in both ipsilateral and contralateral testicle in the rat associated with a significant impairment of antioxidant status 7 . Thus, further research is needed to define the physiological pathways involved in contralateral testicular insult following EO which may facilitate the development of new and more effective target therapies.…”

UropathogenicEscherichia coliBlock MyD88-Dependent and Activate MyD88-Independent Signaling Pathways in Rat Testicular Cells

“…Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) 3 are among the most frequently isolated microbial agents in epididymo-orchitis and in semen (12)(13)(14). Albeit models of experimental bacterial epididymoorchitis in rats are documented (15,16), until now only very few investigations have focused on the effects of E. coli on testicular cells. As a consequence, neither the mechanisms of protection against E. coli infection of the testis nor the way the bacteria eventually evade the testicular immune response directed against them is understood.…”