O-2: Testosterone and Vitamin E administration Up-Regulates Hsp70 Protein Expression in Varicocele-induced Rats; Correlation with Leydig Cells Steroidogenesis and Germinal Cells RNA Damage

Background: Varicocele (VCL) impacts the testicular tissue partly by down-regulating the antioxidant status accomplished with reducing the intra-testicular endocrine potential. It has been reported that the HSP70 families play a critical role in spermiogenesis. Therefore, current study was aimed to evaluate the protective effect of exogenous testosterone and vitamin E administration on VCL-induced damages on testicular tissue. Materials and Methods: Thirty mature male rats were divided into five control-sham and test groups (N=6 rats for each group). The test groups underwent to an experimental varicocele. Group VCL alone (varicocele-induced, for 60 days), group VCL+testosterone (45 μg intraperitoneally, for 60 days), group VCL+vitamin E (150mg/kg, orally, for 60 days) and group VCL+testosterone+vitamin E. Simple laparotomy was conducted in control-sham group. The Western blotting and immunohistochemical analyses for Hsp70 protein were performed. The total RNA and total protein levels were evaluated. The Epi-fluorescent and fluorescent analyses were conducted to evaluate the germinal cells RNA damage and leydig cells biosteroid activity, respectively. Results: The Hsp70 protein expression significantly (p<0.05) up-regulated in treated groups. Qua, the VCL+testosterone+vitamin E group showed the highest level of Hsp70 protein beside higher detected immunohistochemical spots in germinal cells. The animals in all treated groups showed remarkably (p<0.05) higher total protein and normal RNA contents versus VCL alone group. The higher biosteroidogenesis was observed in VCL+vitamin E and VCL+testosterone+vitamin E groups leydig cells. Conclusion: Our data showed that testosterone by promoting the testicular endocrine function and the vitamin E by up-regulating testicular antioxidant capacity could inhibit the VCL-induced damages.