Aim:
The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the potential diagnostic value of the platelet activation marker SCUBE1 [signal peptide, CUB (complement C1r/C1s, Uegf, and Bmp1), and EGF (epidermal growth factor)-like domain-containing protein 1] and the adipocytokine chemerin in a prepubertal rat model of testicular torsion (TT).
Materials and Methods:
Twenty-eight male rats were used for this study. They were randomly assigned into one of the four groups, each containing seven rats. No additional procedure other than a sham operation was performed on the control group (group IV). The other subjects comprised the torsion ischemia groups (groups I, II, and III). Blood specimens were collected after 30 min (group I), 2 h (group II), or 4 h (group III) using the intracardiac method. For group IV, which was the sham operation group, blood specimens were collected after 4 h, and testis tissue specimens were extracted by orchiectomy for histopathological examination.
Results:
No statistically significant change was determined in SCUBE1 levels of rats exposed to torsion. Also, no significant difference was observed between SCUBE1 levels of rats exposed to torsion and those of the control group. Statistically significant change was determined in chemerin levels during observation in rats exposed to torsion. This change was statistically significant between groups I and III. There was no statistically significant difference between chemerin levels of rats exposed to torsion (groups I, II, and III) and those of the control group (group IV).
Conclusion:
We observed no statistically significant differences when plasma SCUBE1 and chemerin levels of rats subjected to TT were compared with a control group in this study.
Keywords: Chemerin, experimental study, rat model, SCUBE1, testicular torsion