The Apoptosis Of Epididymis Epithelium And The Content Of Epididymis Sialic Acid Following Testical Torsion/Detorsion In Rat

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the apoptosis of epididymis epithelia and the content of epididymal sialic acid following 2h, 4h-torsed/detorsed testes.Methods: 24 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to unilateral 720 degrees testicular torsion with the duration of 2 hours and 4 hours, then repaired. The ischemic/reperfuse epididymis were collected for detecting the apoptosis with TUNEL technique and the content of sialic acid by using spectrophotometry.Results: There were no statistically significant difference between the apoptosis index of the epididymis epithelia and the content of epididymal sialic acid after one day following 2h-torsed/detorsed testes and those of sham group(p>0.05); There were statistically significant difference between the apopotosis of epididymis epithelia(p<0.001) and the content of epididymal sialic acid(p<0.05) after one day following 4h-torsed/detorsed testes and those of sham group.Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the apoptosis of epididymis epithelia increases, and the sialic acid-secreting-function of epididymis injuries after 4h-ischemia/reperfusion. There is some relativity between the injury of epididymis and the duration of ischemia when testicular torsion occurs.