Probucol Reduces Testicular Torsion/Detorsion-Induced Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats

This study investigated the effect of probucol, a potent antioxidant, on testicular torsion/detorsion-induced ischemia/reperfusion injury attributable to excess reactive oxygen species released by neutrophils. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operated control, ischemia-reperfusion, and probucol-treated groups. In the ischemia-reperfusion group, testicular detorsion was performed after 2 hours of left testicular torsion. In the probucol-treated group, after performing the same surgical procedures as in the ischemia-reperfusion group, probucol was given intraperitoneally at testicular detorsion. Orchiectomy was performed to evaluate protein expression of E-selectin which is an endothelial cell adhesion molecule and mediates neutrophil adhesion to vascular endothelium, myeloperoxidase activity (a mark of neutrophil accumulation in the testis), malondialdehyde level (an indicator of reactive oxygen species), and spermatogenesis. E-selectin protein expression, myeloperoxidase activity, and malondialdehyde level were significantly increased, and testicular spermatogenesis was significantly decreased in the ipsilateral testes in the ischemia-reperfusion group, compared with the control group. The probucol-treated group showed significant decreases in E-selectin protein expression, myeloperoxidase activity, and malondialdehyde level and significant increase in testicular spermatogenesis in the ipsilateral testes, compared with the ischemia-reperfusion group. These findings indicate that probucol can protect testicular spermatogenesis by reducing overgeneration of reactive oxygen species by inhibiting E-selectin protein expression and neutrophil accumulation in the testis.