Expression of FAS ligand in the ipsilateral and contralateral testicles of rats subjected to the torsion of the unilateral testicular cord.

PURPOSE To investigate the expression of FAS ligand (FASL) in ipsilateral and contralateral testicles of rats submitted to ischemia/reperfusion. METHODS Wistar rats (n=21) distributed into groups control (GC), n=5, testicular exposure; ischemia (GI), (n=8), Torsion in the left testicular Cord (TCT) for three hours followed by orchiectomy without distortion and orchietomy of the contralateral testicle after 24 hours; and reperfusion (GR), (n=8), left TCT for 3 hours and distortion and repositioning on the scrotum and bilateral orchiectomy after 24 hours. Quantification of the FASL expression by immune-histochemistry. RESULTS Statistical analysis showed similarity between GC and GI (p>0.05), differences detected are concentrated on the GR (p<0.05), increase in immunoexpression of FASL in the subgroups Right GR (406.8+-61.5) and Left GR (135.3 +-28.9) with significant predominance in the GR subgroup. CONCLUSION Ischemia/reperfusion increased the FASL expression significantly in contralateral testicles in GR, in rats.