Progranulin Protects Rat Testis From Ischaemic Reperfusion Injury

Abstract Background: Ischemic reperfusion (I/R) damage of the testis is a common problem, it is mainly caused by testicular torsion and detorsion. Progranulin (PGRN) has been reported to have prominent anti-inflammatory and protective effects on I/R injury in the heart, brain and kidney, however, its effects on testicular I/R lesion have not been evaluated. Aim of Study: To examine the effects of progranulin on rat testicular ischaemia/reperfusion induced by torsion/ detor-sion and the possible underlying mechanisms. Material and Methods: In this study, rats were divided into 4 groups: (i) Sham; (ii) Testicular ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), 2h of ischemia followed by 6 h of reperfusion; (iii) I/R treated by PGRN (0.01mg/rat) administered 1.5h after the induction of ischaemia. (iv) I/R treated by PGRN (0.1mg/rat) administered 1.5h after development of ischemia. At the end of the study, some testicular oxidative stress markers, inflam-matory, apoptotic markers and serum testosterone were meas-ured, in addition to histopathologic study. Results: Significant decreases in serum testosterone levels, testicular superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione per-oxidase (Gpx) activity with increase in tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed in I/R group when compared with controls. These antioxidant levels were increased in PGRN treated groups with significant decrease in MDA levels. While an increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), IL-1b, caspase-8 and caspase-3 levels were found in the torsion/ detorsion group, significant decrease in the levels of these inflammatory cytokines and apoptotic markers were observed in PRGR treated groups in a dose dependent maner. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that PGRN signif-icantly produced protective effects on testicular tissue damage through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic mechanisms.