Testicular Apoptosis and Proliferation in Relation to Body Mass Index and m-TESE Success in Nonobstructive Azoospermic Men

Abstract

Male infertility occurs due to the disruption of the balance of proliferation and apoptosis in the testicular tissue. It is important to show the effect of increased body mass index, which is one of the factors that disrupts this balance of apoptosis and proliferation, not only at the blood hormone level but also at the tissue level. For this reason, the present study is aimed at demonstrating the relation between body mass index and cell turnover in the testis using immunohistochemical methods. In the present study, patients were grouped as normal, overweight and obese, and as m-TESE positive and negative. The sperm retrieval rate with microsurgical testicular sperm extraction (m-TESE) was 41.67%. Histological diagnosis of testicular tissues was made with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining. Apoptosis and proliferation in the testicular tissue were demonstrated by TUNEL and PCNA immunohistochemical methods, respectively. It was concluded that BMI had no significant effect on reproductive hormone profile (FSH, LH, and testosterone), m-TESE success, apoptosis, and proliferation in testicular tissue in nonobstructive azoospermic men. In addition TUNEL positivity and proliferative index was found to be significantly correlated with testicular histology and m-TESE outcome.