In vivo Study to Evaluate the Protective Effects of Amifostine on Radiation-Induced Damage of Testis Tissue

Objective: To investigate the early protective effects of amifostine against radiation-induced damage on rat testis tissue. Methods: Eighty adult male Wistar rats were randomized to 4 groups: Saline solution was given to group A for control, 200 mg/kg amifostine (WR-2721) to group B, a single fraction of 6 Gy local irradiation to testes in group C and 200 mg/kg amifostine 15–30 min before 6 Gy testicular irradiation to group D. Animals were sacrificed 3 weeks after treatment and their testes were removed for macroscopic, microscopic and ultrastructural histopathological examination. Results: The weights, widths and lengths of testes in the last 3 groups had decreased significantly when compared with the control group, but the decrease in widths after irradiation was found to be significantly less only in the amifostine plus radiation group. There was a significant reduction of testis weights in relation to the individual body weights in the irradiated testes compared with the other groups (p < 0.005), while there was no significant change of testis weight/total body weight ratio in amifostine plus irradiation group. Spermatogonium A and primary spermatocyte counts were also less in the treatment groups, and primary spermatocyte numbers were significantly higher in amifostine plus radiation group when compared with radiation alone group (p < 0.005). Pretreatment with amifostine reduced the decrease of primary spermatocyte counts by a factor of 1.28. Electron microscopic analysis did not show any cytotoxic effect of amifostine alone, and furthermore, ultrastructural findings were normal with the addition of amifostine prior to irradiation, though there was damage in the radiation exposure group. Conclusion: Amifostine when given alone by itself appears to cause adverse alterations in testis tissue; however, it has a radioprotective effect on spermiogenetic cells when used prior to radiation.