MP38-12: Effect of Li-ESWT on Testicular Tissue and Function in Aging Rats

Dongho Shin*, Seung Hwan Jeon, Hyuk Jin Cho, U-syn Ha, Sung-Hoo Hong, Ji Youl Lee, Wen Jie Tian, Jun Jie Piao, Sae Woong Kim, Woong Jin Bae, Seoul, Korea, Republic of, Mahadevan Raj Rajasekaran, San Diego, CA

Introduction: Low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT), as a micro-energy therapy, has the effects of inhibiting oxidative stress, anti-apoptosis and tissue repair, and has been increasingly applied to a variety of diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Li-ESWT in aging rat model and its possible molecular mechanism through in vivo and in vitro experiments.

Methods: In vitro, TM3 Leydig cells incubated with H2O2 were treated with Li-ESWT at 4 energy levels (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 mJ/mm2). In vivo, we used androgen-deficient rat model to simulate male aging and treated with Li-ESWT at 3 energy levels (0.01, 0.05, 0.2 mJ/mm2).

Results: The results showed that Li-ESWT could effectively increase the expression of VEGF in TM3 cells, improve antioxidant capacity and reduce apoptosis, and the effect was most significant at the energy level of 0.05mJ/mm2.In androgen-deficient rat model, LI-ESWT can improve sperm count, motility and serum testosterone level, and enhance tissue antioxidant capacity and anti-apoptotic ability, and the effect is most significant at 0.05mJ/mm2 energy level.

Conclusions: Therefore, Li-ESWT at an appropriate energy level can improve sperm count, motility and serum testosterone levels in androgen-deficient rat models. Reduce oxidative stress in testis, and increase antioxidant capacity and anti-apoptosis ability. The mechanism may be related to the increased expression of VEGF in Leydig cells by Li-ESWT.

Source of Funding: none