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 The latter was then withdrawn and the vein was allowed to expand.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.