Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and transforming growth factor alpha in rat testis during chronic renal failure.

INTRODUCTION Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to influence testis function. Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α) is expressed in the postnatal testis, and has been demonstrated to stimulate testis development. Systemic diseases such as chronic renal failure (CRF) interfere with hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which may cause defective steroidogenesis and gonadal functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and localization of VEGF and TGF-α in testicular tissues of experimental CRF model. MATERIAL AND METHODS Experimental CRF was induced in rats by the resection of more than 85% of renal mass. The expression of VEGF and TGF-α in testicular tissues were assessed by immunohistochemistry on paraffin sections of control, CRF-nondialysed and CRF-dialysed rats. RESULTS The microscopic evaluation of the testicular structure showed that CRF did not affect testicular histology. Immunohistochemical evaluation showed that VEGF was expressed in the cytoplasm of primary and secondary spermatocyte series as well as the early spermatids. Staining intensity was lower in spermatocytes going through the first meiotic division. TGF-α was expressed in the nuclei of spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes with stronger staining intensity in spermatogonia. The intensity of VEGF staining was similar in control and experimental animals, however, TGF-α expression was lower in the CRF group. CONCLUSIONS The continuous expression of VEGF in spermatocytes and spermatids suggests that the applied model of CRF does not directly disrupt morphology of seminiferous epithelium, thus also spermiogenesis. However, difference between control rats and CRF group in TGF-α immunopositivity, which was localised in spermatogonial mitosis step, may suggest the interference of CRF with early stages of spermatogenesis.