Abstract

Purpose: To determine the effects of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) treatment in unilateral undescended testis model by determining serum testosterone and antisperm antibody (ASA) levels and using stereological methods in prepubertal rats.

Methods: A total of 40 prepubertal (30-day old) male Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into Sham, Sham+ hCG treatment, Undescended testis and Undescended testis+ hCG treatment groups. The rats were sacrificed following a 30-day undescended testis duration and 30-day hCG treatment duration. Blood samples were obtained to determine the ASA and testosterone levels. The testes were prepared following routine histological procedures. The seminiferous tubule (parenchyma) and insterstitium (stroma) (P/S) ratios were calculated using stereological methods.

Results: The testosterone levels were 689.08±96.08 ng/dl in the Sham group, 1062.32±78.5 ng/dl in the Sham+hCG group, 176.09±23.35 ng/dl in the Undescended testis group and 328.75±43.49 ng/dl in the Undescended testis+hCG group. ASA results were 2.94±0.56 U/ml in the Sham group, 5.45±1.58 U/ml in the Sham+hCG group, 20.87±4.76 U/ml in the Undescended testis group, and 22.12±6.99 U/ml in the Undescended testis+hCG group. A statistically significant difference was detected between the Undescended testis and Sham groups. The comparison of the parenchyma/stroma (P/S) ratios revealed statistically significant difference between Sham groups and Undescended testis groups (p<0.05). There was also statistically significant difference in P/S ratios of Undescended testis and Undescended testis+HCG treatment groups (p<0.05).

Conclusion: In this study, it was found that hCG changed the P/S ratio in favor of the parenchyma. The higher level of ASA in groups with an undescended testis indicated that ASA production could be higher in testes that had undergone more handling. Although hCG treatment improved testosterone levels, this treatment did not decrease ASA production in unilateral cryptorchidism. Our findings lead to the conclusion that hormonal treatment effects morphological changes and testosterone levels but could not eliminate elevated ASA production. Further experimental studies can be performed in order to elucidate the mechanisms that effect the other testis in unilateral cryptorchidism

Keywords: ASA, hCG, stereology, testosterone, undescended testis

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How to cite

1.
Özgüner İF, Özgüner İF, Delibaş N. BIOCHEMICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS IN A UNILATERAL CRYPTORCHIDISM MODEL AFTER hCG TREATMENT. Turk J Pediatr Dis [Internet]. 2011 Apr. 1 [cited 2025 May 25];5(4):231-9. Available from: https://turkjpediatrdis.org/article/view/161