Testicular injuries from 45 min of renal ischemia after 24 and 48 h of reperfusion

Abstract

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced acute renal failure (ARF) is linked to oxidative stress and inflammation, which can adversely affect other organs. The degree of injury and subsequent recovery in these organs is determined by the expression of specific molecules during reperfusion, as well as the ischemia's severity and duration. This study investigated how varying durations of reperfusion impact testicular function and sperm characteristics, including count and morphology, after ischemic acute renal failure in male rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 7 per group) were divided into three groups: a sham group without renal artery occlusion and two ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) groups subjected to 45 min of bilateral, followed by reperfusion for either 24 h (I/R-24h) or 48 h (I/R-48h). Blood samples were analyzed for plasma levels of creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone. Following deep anesthesia, the left testis and kidney were excised for histopathological evaluation and malondialdehyde level measurement. Results showed that 24 h of reperfusion after 45 min of ischemia elevated plasma creatinine and BUN levels, decreased testosterone, and increased levels of inflammatory markers (TLR4, NFĸB, TNF-α) in testis tissue. However, sperm count and morphology remained unchanged. Extending the reperfusion to 48 h mitigated these effects, suggesting that prolonged reperfusion reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, thereby alleviating testicular damage.