Erythropoietin Effect on Testicular Germinal Epithelium Cells in Undescended Testis Mice Model

BACKGROUND: Undescended testis is an absence of testis in the scrotum, the incidence was 15 cases per 1000 from 1974 to 1996 in Europe. At Saiful Anwar Regional Hospital East Java, from January 2015 to July 2019 there were 60 boys diagnosed with undescended testis. A temperature rise of testis located in the abdominal triggers production of reactive oxygen species, causing impairment of the testicular epithelial germ cells and spermatogenesis, leading to many complications. Erythropoietin is a glycoprotein hormone that circulates in the body and has a positive effect on ischemic injury/gonadal reperfusion. OBJECTIVE: To find out ROS involvement in undescended testis and efficacy of EPO as an additional therapy for undescended testis. METHODS: This study is an experimental study with a post-test only control group design, using 18 male Wistar mice conditioned to be undescended testis for 7 days and underwent orchidopexy and some are given additional erythropoietin 1000iu/Kg 3 times a week. RESULTS: Before and after the intervention, the mean body weight of mice did not experience a significant difference, meanwhile testicular volume showed a significant difference between the orchidopexy and EPO groups (p = 0.005 and 0.001). Johnsen’s score were found significant in the EPO group. Malone dialdehyde level in EPO and orchidopexy group showed significant difference p = 0.01 and 0.009 when compared to undescended testis group. CONCLUSION: There was the involvement of ROS in undescended testis and additional EPO improve impairment of germinal epithelial cells and spermatogenesis process due to undescended testis.