Nesfatin-1 ameliorates testicular injury and supports gonadal function in rats induced with testis torsion

Publication date: Available online 18 July 2018Source: PeptidesAuthor(s): Sevil Arabaci Tamer, Alper Yildirim, M. Kutay köroğlu, Özge Çevik, Feriha Ercan, Berrak Ç. YeğenAbstractTesticular torsion causes ischemia-reperfusion injury and an increased risk of infertility. Nesfatin-1 is a novel peptide with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the putative beneficial effects of nesfatin-1 on oxidative injury and impaired testicular function induced by testis torsion. Under anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats (180-230 g; n = 24) had sham-operation or they underwent testicular torsion by rotating the left testis 720° and fixing it for 2 h, followed by a 2-h detorsion. Rats in each group were treated intraperitoneally with either nesfatin-1 (0.3 µg/kg) or saline prior to the torsion or sham-torsion. At the end of the 4-h experimental period, tissue samples were removed for evaluation of spermatozoa, molecular and histochemical analyses. In saline-treated torsion/detorsion group, a high percentage of abnormal spermatozoa with head defects was observed, which was abolished in nesfatin-1-treated torsion/detorsion group. The levels of 8-OHdG, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, caspase-3 were increased in the saline-treated torsion/detorsion group as compared to sham-operated group, while nesfatin-1 pre-treatment significantly decreased the expressions of the pro-inflammatory cyt...
Source: Peptides - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research