Effects of pancreaticoduodenal allografts on diabetic testicular lesions in the rat

Abstract

AbstractAbnormal testicular histology is common in untreated diabetic animals and men. Reversal of testicular lesions with return of function and fertility are seen in controlled diabetes. We investigated the effects of pancreaticoduodenal (PD) allografts on testicular lesions of alloxan‐induced diabetic rats. For periods of l to 15 months, 190 diabetic Lewis rats were allowed to remain diabetic before receiving PD transplants and Cyclosporin A (CsA); 190 other rats were divided into 4 control groups: normal rats with and without CsA, and diabetic rats with and without CsA. Following transplantation, transplanted rats and corresponding controls were sacrificed at 3‐month intervals. Testicles were morphometrically examined. CsA did not affect rat testicular histology. All successfully transplanted rats (n = 97) had complete reversal of hyperglycemia. In the first 6 months following transplantation, the testicular lesions appear to worsen; thereafter, the testicular sizes, tubular densities, and percentages of germinal tissue converge toward nondiabetic levels. This convergence was more marked in the later transplantation groups (≥ 9 months of diabetes before receiving transplantation) than in the earlier groups (<9 months). Overall, these results suggest that PD transplantation may partially reverse testicular lesions. Although pancreas transplantation may initially worsen diabetic testicular lesions, after 6 months, improvement of the lesions can be expected. Thus, an important result from this study relating to the clinical laboratory is that good control of the blood glucose in diabetics causes reversal of diabetic testicular lesions with return of function and fertility. In addition, Cyclosporin levels should be monitored in clinical laboratories in transplant patients to prevent toxic injury to the kidney and liver. However, Cyclosporin did not damage the testis in our study.