The Role of Clusterin in Apoptosis Induced by Testicular Torsion

Park, Eun Chan; Kwak, Cheol; Son, Hwancheol; Oh, Seung June; Lee, Sang Eun; Choi, Hwang

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study examined the histological changes and apoptosis in contralateral rat testes after testicular torsion or the repair of torsion, and investigated the functional role of clusterin in the pathogenesis for the injury of the contralateral testes after testicular torsion.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
H&E staining and TUNEL assay were performed in contralateral testes following torsion or repair of torsion. The mean numbers of spermatids per tubule and apoptotic germ cells per tubule were calculated in each group with respect to time. The expression of clusterin after torsion or the repair of torsion was observed by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis.
RESULTS
Following the repair of torsion, significant germ cell injuries and abnormal spermatogenesis were observed in the contralateral testes compared to those without repair. The expressions of clusterin mRNA and protein after testicular torsion were no different from those in the control testes. However, in the contralateral testes, the clusterin mRNA and clusterin protein expressions in the contralateral testes were increased 8 hours after the repair of torsion. The appearance of apoptosis in the contralateral testes after the repair of torsion appeared to correlate with the clusterin protein expression.
CONCLUSIONS
The injury to contralateral testes during testicular torsion seems to be caused by the apoptosis induced by reperfusion of ischemic torsioned testis. Clusterin appears to play an antiapoptotic role in the apoptotic process in the injury to the contralateral testis due to the repair of testicular torsion.