Different surgical techniques and L-carnitine supplementation in an experimental varicocele model

Summary We aimed to investigate the impact of various varicocelectomy techniques and/or L‐carnitine as an adjunct treatment, following the emergence of oxidative stress, on the expression levels of SCF/c‐kit signalling pathways in spermatogenesis. Forty‐two rats were divided into seven groups: group 1 (G1) control; group 2 (G2) sham; group 3 (G3) varicocele; group 4 (G4) varicocele + varicocelectomy with testicular nonartery sparing; group 5 (G5) same as G4 but with artery sparing; group 6 (G6) same as G4 but with L‐carnitine and group 7 (G7) same as G5 with L‐carnitine. mRNA expression levels of SCF and c‐kit were measured quantitatively using real‐time polymerase chain reaction. CASP‐3 activity at protein level was determined, and histological evaluation was performed. mRNA expression level of SCF increased in G6 as compared to control group (3.52‐folds change; P = 0.035), whereas mRNA expression level of c‐kit gene remained the same. We found that in the left testis of G6 group, mRNA expression level of SCF increased 2.2‐folds in comparison with the right testis (P