Histological Effects of GnRH Agonist on Epididymal Tissues in Prepubertal Rat

Background and The epididymis is a tubule that processes the maturation, storage, and transfer of sperm. Growth and maintenance of epididymal structures depend on testosterone release, which is directly controlled by pituitary gonadotropins. Furthermore, gonadotropins are controlled by hypothalamic releasing hormones. Using gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs can stop the pituitary-gonadal axis. This study aimed at determining the effect of a GnRH agonist (buserelin) on prepubertal rat epididymal tissue. In this experimental, 20 rats on the 25th day after birth, provided by the Department animal house, were divided into 4 groups. The first and second study groups received 0.1 mg/kg GnRH agonist for 5 days and were dissected on the 30th and 35th day after birth, respectively. Animals in the control group received physiologic serum 0.1 mg/ml for 5 days and were dissected like the study groups. Measurements were performed using a calibrated microscope. The findings reveal a significant increase in epithelial height and lumen diameter in the first and second study groups as compared with the first control group (p ≤ 0.05). In comparison between the second study group and the second control group, only epithelial height, but not lumen diameter, showed a significant increase. Also, there was no significant difference in muscular thickness between the study and control groups. This study shows that short-term administration of GnRH increases epithelium growth and lumen diameter, but not muscle thickness, in epididymis.