Abstract

Testicular torsion is a serious urological disease leading to testicular damage. This study aimed to assess the effect ofminocyclineon testicular ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury caused by testicular torsion/detorsion. Male adult Wistar rats (n = 32) were assigned into four groups of sham, I/R, I/R + minocyclineandminocycline. I/R injury was induced by two sets of surgical operations, including the rotation of the left testis (720 degrees, counterclockwise), followed by detorsion after 4 hr. The administration ofminocyclinewas carried out 30 min before detorsion and then continued for 8 weeks. At the end of the 8th week, rats were killed and sampling was done. Johnson's score, the height of seminiferous tubule epithelium, the mean seminiferous tubule diameter, as well as biochemical parameters, SOD, GPx and CAT, were significantly enhanced in the I/R + minocyclinegroup compared with the I/R group. The administration ofminocyclineled to a marked decrease in expression levels of Caspase-3, Bax, IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha genes, and a remarkable increase in expression levels of Bcl-2, 3 beta-HSD and 17 beta-HSD3 genes compared with the I/R group. Administration ofminocyclinecould also reduce the rate of germ cell apoptosis (TUNEL staining). Hence,minocyclinewas useful in the management of testicular torsion/detorsion.