Lorian Keivan, Kadkhodaee Mehri, Kianian Farzaneh, Abdi Arash, Seifi Behjat
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2020 Feb;23(2):236-243. doi: 10.22038/IJBMS.2019.39727.9412.
Infertility in varicocele may have an adverse outcome on the future life of an infertile male. This study was designed to investigate whether varicocele affects remote organs, including the kidney, liver, and brain. We have also evaluated the protective effects of NaHS administration on the structure and function of these organs.
Thirty-six rats were randomly assigned to 3 experimental groups: 1) Sham, 2) Varicocele, and 3) Varicocele + sodium hydrosulfide. Varicocele was induced via partial ligation of the left renal veins. Animals in the Varicocele + sodium hydrogen sulfide group received 30 µmol/l NaHS in drinking water for 56 days. On the 57th day of the treatment, blood samples, as well as kidney, liver, and brain tissues, were collected to assess kidney and liver functions, measurement of oxidative stress markers, and histological changes. For evaluation of sperm parameters caudal epididymis was used. The behavioral tests were performed to evaluate the animal's anxiety-related behaviors.
Varicocele caused significant decrease in sperm parameters (motility and viability) and superoxide dismutase activity in the kidney, liver, and brain tissue. Anxiety-related parameters decreased in varicocele. Moreover, varicocele resulted in a significant increase in malondialdehyde levels in the kidney, liver and brain tissue, and liver function enzymes. Varicocele did not alter kidney function parameters. The administration of NaHS improves the above parameters.
This study showed that notice to remote organs such as the liver and brain beside reproductive organs in varicocele is important. The administration of NaHS improved remote organ injury in varicocele via its anti-oxidant mechanism.
精索静脉曲张导致的不育可能会对不育男性的未来生活产生不良影响。本研究旨在调查精索静脉曲张是否会影响包括肾脏、肝脏和大脑在内的远处器官。我们还评估了给予硫氢化钠（NaHS）对这些器官结构和功能的保护作用。
将36只大鼠随机分为3个实验组：1）假手术组，2）精索静脉曲张组，3）精索静脉曲张+硫氢化钠组。通过部分结扎左肾静脉诱导精索静脉曲张。精索静脉曲张+硫化氢组的动物在饮用水中接受30μmol/l的NaHS，持续56天。在治疗的第57天，采集血液样本以及肾脏、肝脏和脑组织，以评估肾脏和肝脏功能、测量氧化应激标志物以及组织学变化。使用附睾尾部评估精子参数。进行行为测试以评估动物的焦虑相关行为。
精索静脉曲张导致精子参数（活力和存活率）以及肾脏、肝脏和脑组织中的超氧化物歧化酶活性显著降低。精索静脉曲张组中与焦虑相关的参数降低。此外，精索静脉曲张导致肾脏、肝脏和脑组织中的丙二醛水平以及肝功能酶显著升高。精索静脉曲张未改变肾功能参数。给予NaHS可改善上述参数。
本研究表明，精索静脉曲张除了影响生殖器官外，对肝脏和大脑等远处器官也有影响，这一点很重要。给予NaHS通过其抗氧化机制改善了精索静脉曲张对远处器官的损伤。
