OBJECTIVE: To investigate the histologic and molecular changes in the ipsilateral and contralateral epididymides in response to unilateral testicular torsion followed by detorsion. DESIGN: Controlled experimental study using rats. SETTING: Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ANIMAL(S): Thirty-five, 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats: six experimental groups and a sham-operated control group. INTERVENTION(S): Testes of male rats were subjected to torsion for 10 minutes. At 0, 1, 4, 8, 24 hours and 1 week after detorsion, ipsilateral and contralateral epididymides were harvested. Microscopic examination and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was performed. The percentage of apoptotic ducts in the epididymis was determined by counting 100 duct cross-sections of the head and the tail of the epididymis of each specimen. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Morphologic change, including in situ apoptosis, of the ductal epithelium was evaluated. RESULT(S): There was no evidence of morphologic or apoptotic changes in the 0- or 1-hour detorsion groups. However, enlargement of the interstitial fibrous tissue was found 8 and 24 hours after detorsion and marked degeneration of ductal epithelium was observed at 1 week in both the ipsilateral and contralateral epididymides. Apoptosis was first observed at 4 hours after detorsion, and the percentage of apoptotic ducts was significantly increased at 8 hours, peaked at 24 hours, and slightly decreased at 1 week in both the ipsilateral and contralateral epididymides. CONCLUSION(S): Both morphologic changes and intracellular molecular alterations occur not only in the ipsilateral but also in the contralateral epididymis following unilateral testicular torsion/detorsion.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the histologic and molecular changes in the ipsilateral and contralateral epididymides in response to unilateral testicular torsion followed by detorsion. DESIGN: Controlled experimental study using rats. SETTING: Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ANIMAL(S): Thirty-five, 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats: six experimental groups and a sham-operated control group. INTERVENTION(S): Testes of male rats were subjected to torsion for 10 minutes. At 0, 1, 4, 8, 24 hours and 1 week after detorsion, ipsilateral and contralateral epididymides were harvested. Microscopic examination and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was performed. The percentage of apoptotic ducts in the epididymis was determined by counting 100 duct cross-sections of the head and the tail of the epididymis of each specimen. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Morphologic change, including in situ apoptosis, of the ductal epithelium was evaluated. RESULT(S): There was no evidence of morphologic or apoptotic changes in the 0- or 1-hour detorsion groups. However, enlargement of the interstitial fibrous tissue was found 8 and 24 hours after detorsion and marked degeneration of ductal epithelium was observed at 1 week in both the ipsilateral and contralateral epididymides. Apoptosis was first observed at 4 hours after detorsion, and the percentage of apoptotic ducts was significantly increased at 8 hours, peaked at 24 hours, and slightly decreased at 1 week in both the ipsilateral and contralateral epididymides. CONCLUSION(S): Both morphologic changes and intracellular molecular alterations occur not only in the ipsilateral but also in the contralateral epididymis following unilateral testicular torsion/detorsion.