Relaxin exerts a protective effect during ischemia‐reperfusion in the rat model

Abstract

Background: Testicular torsion, which causes ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, is a serious urological emergency that can lead to testicular dysfunction, including infertility, primarily among newborn and pubertal males; thus, effective drugs should be administered during or after ischemia.Objectives: Using a rat model of testicular IR injury, the present study investigated the protective effects of relaxin (RLN) against oxidative stress, testicular dysfunction, inflammation, histological damage, arrested spermatogenesis, and germ cell apoptosis as well as explored the usefulness of RLN as a potential protective drug for IR injury combined with surgical treatment. Materials and methods:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to left testicular ischemia for 2 h, followed by 24 h of reperfusion. They were subsequently divided into three groups: sham, IR, and IR + RLN groups. Porcine RLN (500 ng/h) or saline was infused using an implanted osmotic mini-pump 90 min after inducing ischemia. The RLN dose used herein was that which resulted in serum RLN levels comparable to those in mid-pregnant rats based on previous studies. Results:Testicular IR increased germ cell apoptosis and histological damage as well as promoted disorganized and arrested spermatogenesis, accompanied by a significant increase in oxidative stress and inflammation. However, RLN administration ameliorated the adverse consequences associated with IR injury by attenuating oxidative stress and mitigating apoptosis and inflammation. Discussion and conclusion:The study findings clearly demonstrated that RLN exerts a protective effect against IR-induced testicular injury by attenuating oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation, suggesting that RLN together with surgical treatment is a potentially efficacious approach toward ameliorating testicular dysfunction following testicular torsion.

Involvement of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1-α in Experimental Testicular Ischemia and Reperfusion: Effects of Polydeoxyribonucleotide and Selenium

“…Many studies examining the effects of different substances in counteracting the different mechanisms involved in testicular I/R damage were performed, testing the role of vitamin C [ 39 ], the melanocortin analog [Nle(4),D-Phe(7)]α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone [ 40 ], α-lipoic acid [ 41 ], ghrelin [ 42 ], melatonin [ 43 ], astaxanthin [ 7 ], and relaxin [ 44 ].…”

Baicalein Alleviates Testicular Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in a Rat Model of Testicular Torsion-Detorsion

“…Increased reactive oxygen species have deleterious effects on cellular components by causing lipid peroxidation, structural alteration of protein, and DNA oxidation [ 6 ]. Owing to extremely reactive nature and short life of reactive oxygen species, their measurement is very difficult [ 38 ]. Reactive oxygen species have a peroxidative effect on cellular membrane lipids [ 6 ].…”

“…Reactive oxygen species have a peroxidative effect on cellular membrane lipids [ 6 ]. The final product of lipid peroxidation is malondialdehyde [ 38 ]. Hence, malondialdehyde is considered as a common marker of reactive oxygen species [ 38 ].…”

“…The final product of lipid peroxidation is malondialdehyde [ 38 ]. Hence, malondialdehyde is considered as a common marker of reactive oxygen species [ 38 ]. Our results revealed an increased malondialdehyde level and reduced spermatogenesis in ipsilateral testes of the testicular ischemia-reperfusion and testicular ischemia-reperfusion+vehicle groups, compared to the control group (Figures 4 – 6 ).…”

Targeting soluble guanylate cyclase with Riociguat has potency to alleviate testicular ischaemia reperfusion injury via regulating various cellular pathways

“…Most of the previously published articles examined antioxidant substances to suppress the adverse effects of I/R injury on testes (Erol et al, 2017). One of the most commonly observed changes in I/R injury is the accumulation of ROS, the up‐regulation of inflammatory cytokine release, germinal epithelial cell pyknosis, cellular desquamation, and the formation of multinucleated giant cells, which is thought to be evidence of a disruption in cell proliferation and maturity (Ayengin et al, 2021; Kohsaka et al, 2022; Seker et al, 2020). We observed severe pathological changes in testis, which were exposed to I/R injury as reported in literature.…”