Backgroundand Objectives: Testicular torsion is a urological emergency that involves the risk of infertility as a result of germ cell ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Therefore, this study was planned to test the protective effect of hematopoietic stem cells mobilization by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) on a rat model of testicular torsion- detorsion induced germ cell injury.
Material and Methods: 32 adult male albino rats were randomly divided into group I (Control group) and experimental groups which included group II (Torsion-detorsion group), group III (Spontaneous recovery group) and group IV (Torsion-detorsion with G-CSF treatment group).These experimental groups were subjected to T/D injury by rotating the left testicle 720° clockwise for 3 hours. Half an hour before detorsion in group IV, G-CSF was injected subcutaneously at a dose of 70 μg/kg/day then daily for 5 consecutive days. At the end of the study (8 weeks),hormonal assay, sperm analysis, and testicular samples were taken for histological, immunohistochemical and statistical analysis.
Results: The results revealed that the mean testosterone levels, sperm count, % of sperm viability and motility were significantly affected after torsion-detorsion with loss of the normal histological architecture of the testis and spermatogenic cells. G-CSF injection prior to detorsion showed significant improvement in testosterone levels & sperm analysis with marked improvement in histological changes.
Conclusion: G-CSF protect the testis of adult rats against ischemia/reperfusion injury induced by torsion-detorsion. Strong evidence suggested that injection of G-CSF prior to detorsion reduces testicular degenerative changes after ischemia and adverse effects of reactive oxygen species caused by reperfusion.