Effects of Ghrelin on germ cell apoptosis and proinflammatory cytokines production in Ischemia-reperfusion of the rat testis

Testicular torsion is a medical emergency that requires surgical intervention to reperfuse the affected testis. Ischemia reperfusion injury is usually associated with proinflammatory cytokine generation and apoptosis of germ cells in the testes.

In this study we investigate the effect of ghrelin on the proinflammatory cytokines levels and germ cell apoptosis in testicular ischemia reperfusion.

45 male rats were selected for the study and randomly divided into 3 groups, each containing 15 rats. Animals in the testicular torsion and ghrelin treated groups were subjected to unilateral 720 counterclockwise testicular torsion for 1 hr and then reperfusion was allowed after detorsion for 4 hr, 1 and 7 days. The ghrelin-treated group received intraperitoneal injection of ghrelin 15min before detorsion. The expression levels of bcl-2-associated X protein and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in testicular tissue in the different groups were detected by immunohistochemical assay and tissue cytokines interleukin-1β, tumor necroses factor-α and interleukin-6 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

After being treated by ghrelin, the population of immunoreactive cells against BAX in the spermatocytes on day 7 after reperfusion significantly decreased when compared to tortion/ detortion-saline animals (p=0.024). In contrast, PCNA expression in the spermatocytes and spermatogonia were not significantly different between tortion/ detortion-ghrelin and tortion/ detortion-saline groups on both experimental days. Administration of ghrelin significantly attenuated the testicular tumor necroses factor-α and interleukin-6 levels compared with the untreated animals, but had no significant effect on the level of interleukin-1β.

Ghrelin offers remarkable anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects in testicular ischemia reperfusion injury.