研究開発・学会発表

【発表の概要】
Summary
Testicular torsion causes ischaemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury of testis and might
lead to male infertility. Its injury initiates a pathophysiological cascade, including
an activation of inflammatory cytokines and generation of nitric oxide and
other reactive oxygen species. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mediates
angiogenesis and promotes endothelial cell survival. The aim of our study
was to investigate the time course expression of VEGF, VEGF-receptor (R)1,
VEGF-R2, nitric oxide synthases (NOS) in experimental I-R injury of rat testis.
In torsion side testis, the expression of VEGF protein and mRNA significantly
increased in a time-dependent manner (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively).
Although the expression of VEGF-R1 mRNA was increased in a similar way
(P < 0.001), VEGF-R2 mRNA expression was not detected. In immunohistochemistry,
the increase in VEGF protein staining was observed in testicular vascular
endothelial cells and germ cells at 24 h after reperfusion. Significant
activation of inducible NOS and endothelial NOS was investigated at 12 and
24 h after reperfusion (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). This is the first
report to show the time course expression of VEGF in experimental I-R rat
testis.