Pentoxifilina : Efeitos preventivos e/ou restauradores da pentoxifilina sobre a espermatogênese de ratos wistar adultos submetidos a choque térmico testicular

Abstract

The directly heat applied on the testis has given new information about the mechanisms triggers of spermatogenesis damages. Pentoxifylline (PTX) is a methylxanthine with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties and beside this with a lot of utilities in clinical area. The present work had an objective to evaluate the inhibitory capacity of pentoxifylline on deleterious actions, produced by heat in the testicular parenchyma and its capacity to accelerate the spermatogenesis recovery process. Seventy two male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus, var. albinus) were used and divided in control group, heat shock (HS), HS treated with 50mg/Kg of PTX and HS treated with 100mg/Kg of PTX. All animal were submitted to testicular heat shock, excepted the control group and evaluated on 1, 3, 7, 15, 30 and 60 days according to histopathological and histometrical alterations as well as serum levels of testosterone. In this experiment, the different protocols did not produced alteration in the epididymis, prostate and seminal gland weight. However, it was observed a reduction tendency of testicular weight, seminiferous tubule volume, tubular diameter and epithelium height in the animals that suffered heat shock. The Leydig cell volume was reduced in animals submitted to stress thermic, but this fact did not influence the testosterone levels. Utilizing Nile's blue to stain apoptotic cells was noted a reduction in this kind of cell's death in group HS+100mg/Kg of PTX in relation with HS group on 30th days. In the same way was observed reduction on apoptotic cells in the HS+50mg/Kg group, when compared with HS on 60th days. The histopathological found on 3rd, 7th and 15th day post-heat shock are compatible with testis degeneration picture. On these periods, in the animals treated with pentoxifylline, the lesions were minor scale and some stages of seminiferous epithelium cycle were well characterized. In the period between 30 e 60 days after heat shock, we can observe that animals not treated with PTX showed seminiferous tubule with desquamated cells in the lumen, germ epithelium loosening and vacuoles of Sertoli cell. Although, it had been observed partial recovery of spermatogenesis. The animals treated with pentoxifylline with 50 or 100mg/Kg during this period, the spermatogenesis had all stages of seminiferous epithelium cycle. Thus, according to results, PTX seems to have exercised inhibitor role on pro-inflammatory and apoptotic mechanisms, triggered by directly heat shock applied on testis, and for accelerating the of spermatogenic process recovery.