Polydeoxyribonucleotide administration improves the intra-testicular vascularization in rat experimental varicocele

Objective: To study the effect of PDRN on angiogenesis in a model of varicocele in rats. Design: After the creation of experimental varicocele, rats were randomized to one of the four treatments: vehicle, PDRN, DMPX, and PDRN plus DMPX. Twenty-one days after randomization, all animals were euthanized and the left testis was harvested. Setting: Academic hospital. Animal(s): Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Intervention(s): A clamp was passed behind the left renal vein distally to the spermatic vein insertion. A silk ligature was placed around the left renal vein at this site and was tied over the top of a probe. The latter was then withdrawn and the vein was allowed to expand. In shams, a suture was placed but it was not tied. Main Outcome Measure(s): To assess testicular microvascular density using CD34 immunostaining. Result(s): Microvascular density in the varicocele plus PDRN group was significantly higher than in other groups. Conclusion(s): PDRN could represent a novel therapeutic strategy for varicocele treatment in subfertile patients, improving the innate pathophysiologic mechanism of neoangiogenesis, through compensatory oxygen and metabolite supply to tubular and extratubular testicular compartments. (Fertil Steril (R) 2012;97:165-8. (C) 2012 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)