Protection from ischemia by preconditioning, postconditioning, and combined treatment in rabbit testicular ischemia reperfusion injury

This study aimed to investigate the protection of ischemic preconditioning (IPreC), ischemic postconditioning (IPostC) and combined treatment on ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) of testis. A rabbit testicular ischemia reperfusion (IR) model was established with determining of rabbit serum testosterone, nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and tissues pathology. After IR, the NO, MDA, PC, SOD, MPO, and GSH-Px expression significantly increased in torsive testis, and significantly decreased after IPreC, IPostC, and combined treatment in torsive testis when compared to contralateral testis. In torsive testis, testicular tissues was severely damaged with spermatogenic cells disappearing, and were filled with light eosin edema liquid. Cell apoptosis index significantly increased, and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax significantly decreased. After IPreC, IPostC, and combined treatment, testicular tissues were restored to normal, cell apoptosis index significantly decreased, and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax significantly increased. It indicates that IPreC, IPostC, and combined treatment has an obvious protective effect on testicular IRI, by decreasing the oxidative stress index and cell apoptosis, provides a significant reference for the treatment of testicular torsion induced infertility, and exhibits a great value in clinical applications.