Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2009, 218(2)

Lycopene, an Antioxidant Carotenoid, Attenuates Testicular Injury Caused by Ischemia/Reperfusion in Rats

ASKIN HEKIMOGLU,¹ ZEHRA KURCER,² FARUK ARAL,³ FÜSUN BABA,⁴ ENGIN SAHNA⁵ and AHMET ATESSAHIN⁶

¹Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey
²Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Karaelmas University, Zonguldak, Turkey
³Department of Artificial Insemination and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey
⁴Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
⁵Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
⁶Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey

Testicular torsion is a common syndrome that could lead to infertility. We investigated the therapeutic effects of lycopene, an antioxidant caretenoid, on testicular ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury that resembles testicular torsion. Male Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: sham (n = 6), IR (n = 18), and ischemia/reperfusion with lycopene (IRL, n = 18). Left testicular artery and vein was occluded for 1 h, followed by reperfusion of 3 h, 24 h or 30 days in IR and IRL animals. Either corn oil (vehicle) or lycopene (4 mg/kg) was administrated once daily by gavage to IR or IRL animals, respectively, 5 min after ischemia. Sham-operated animals were treated with vehicle by gavage 5 min after the operation. IR decreased sperm motility and concentration in both ipsilateral and contralateral testes and increased abnormal sperm rate in ipsilateral testis after 30 days of reperfusion. Treatment with lycopene increased the motility in bilateral testes and decreased the rate of abnormal sperm in ipsilateral testis to the sham level, but did not increase sperm concentration in bilateral testes. IR increased the activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase and the level of reduced glutathione by 24 h of reperfusion, but malondialdehyde remained unchanged. Lycopene treatment restored the enzyme activities but not the reduced glutathione level. Lycopene treatment also ameliorated the IR-induced tissue damage in bilateral testes. In conclusion, the therapeutic antioxidant effect of lycopene on germ cells could serve as a promising intervention to oxidative stress-associated infertility problems, such as testicular torsion.

Keywords —— Lycopene; Testis; Ischemia/Reperfusion; Catalase; Glutathione peroxidase.

© 2009 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2009, 218, 141-147

Correspondence: Askin Hekimoglu, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, 21280, Diyarbakir, Turkey.

e-mail: askinh@hotmail.com