Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences

Asian Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies (아세아태평양축산학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Feeding Effect of an Anabolic Steroid, Nandrolone, on the Male Rat Testis

  • Lee, Dong-Mok (School of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University) ;
  • Min, Tae-Sun (National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)) ;
  • Choi, In-Ho (School of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University) ;
  • Cheon, Yong-Pil (School of Biosciences and Chemistry, Center for NanoBio Applied Technology, Institute for Basic Sciences, Sungshin Women's University) ;
  • Chun, Tae-Hoon (School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University) ;
  • Park, Chang-Sik (Division of Animal Science and Resources, Research Center for Transgenic Cloned Pig, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Lee, Ki-Ho (Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical Sciences Research Institute, College of Medicine, Eulji University)
  • Received : 2010.08.03
  • Accepted : 2010.09.06
  • Published : 2010.12.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Nandrolone, 19-nortestosterone, is a synthetic androgenic-anabolic steroid promoting muscle growth. Nandrolone is also present in pig meat and sera at non-negligible levels. A number of scientific reports have suggested a positive relationship between incidence of infertility and increased meat consumption in humans. The present study was designed to determine out the effect of feeding nandrolone on the testis of the male reproductive tract. Mixtures of food and nandrolone at different concentrations (0.005 ppm and 0.5 ppm) were supplied to pubertal male rats for 6 weeks. Body weight was recorded every week during the entire experimental period. At the end of the treatment, the testis, epididymis, and epididymal fat were collected and weighted. Sperm numbers in the caudal epididymis were counted. Differential gene or protein expression of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes among experimental groups was determined by semi-quantitative real-time PCR or western blotting analysis, respectively. Histological changes of the testis induced by nandrolone treatment were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Immunohistochemical analysis was employed to detect changes in the localization of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes among experimental animals. There were no significant changes on body, testis, epididymis, and epididymal fat weights among experimental groups. A significant increase of caudal sperm number was found in the 0.5 ppm nandrolone-treated group. Histological examination of the testes noted a high frequency of germ cell sloughing in seminiferous tubules of 0.5 ppm nandrolone-treated rats. Even though transcript levels of $3{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) I, $17{\beta}$-HSD4, and $17{\alpha}$-hydroxylase were influenced by nandrolone treatments, protein levels of all molecules examined in the present study were not significantly affected. Immunohistochemical analysis showed no visible changes in the localization of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes among experimental groups. The current study showed that oral intake of nandrolone in male rats for 6 weeks did not cause significant damage to the testis. It is considered that a feeding effect of nandrolone on male fertility would not be remarkable.

Keywords

References

  1. Alsio, J., B. Carolina, L. Bjorkblom, P. Isaksson, L. Bergstrom, H. B. Schioth and J Lindblom. 2009. Impact of nandrolone decanoate on gene expression in endocrine systems related to the adverse effects of anabolic androgenic steroids. Basic Clin. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 105:307-314. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-7843.2009.00439.x
  2. Basaria, S., J. T. Wahlstrom and A. S. Dobs. 2001. Clinical review 138: Anabolic-androgenic steroid therapy in the treatment of chronic diseases. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 86:5108-5117. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.86.11.5108
  3. Bijlsma, J. W., S. A. Duursma, J. H. Thijssen and O. Huber. 1982. Influence of nandrolone decanoate on the pituitary-gonadal axis in males. Acta Endocrinol. (Copenh.) 101:108-112.
  4. Chrousos, G. P. 2006. The gonadal hormones and inhibitors. In: Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (Ed. B. G. Katzung). McGraw-Hill Professional, New York, USA. pp. 674-676.
  5. Corcoran, C. and S. Grinspoon. 1999. The use of testosterone in the AIDS wasting syndrome. AIDS Clin. Care 11:25-26.
  6. Cuerda, C., A. Zugasti, I. Breton, M. Camblor, P. Miralles and P. Garcia. 2005. Treatment with nandrolone decanoate and megestrol acetate in HIV-infected men. Nutr. Clin. Pract. 20:93-97. https://doi.org/10.1177/011542650502000193
  7. Hamdy, R. C., S. W. Moore, K. E. Whalen, C. Landy and J. H. Quillen. 1998. Nandrolone decanoate for men with osteoporosis. Am. J. Ther. 5:89-95. https://doi.org/10.1097/00045391-199803000-00006
  8. Fortunato, R. S., M. P. Marassi, E. A. Chaves, J. H. M. Nascimento, D. Rosenthal and D. P. Carvalho. 2006. Chronic administration of anabolic androgenic steroid alters murine thyroid function. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 38:256-261. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000183357.19743.51
  9. Gerez, J. R., F. Frei and I. C. C. Camargo. 2005. Histological assessment of ovaries and uterus of rats subjected to nandrolone decanoate treatment. Contraception 72:77-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2005.02.001
  10. Karbalay-Doust, S. and A. Noorafshan. 2006. Stereological study of the effects of nandrolone decanoate on the rat prostate. Micron 37:617-623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micron.2006.02.005
  11. Karbalay-Doust, S., A. Noorafshan, F. M. Ardekani and H. Mirkhani. 2007. The reversibility of sperm quality after discontinuing nandrolone decanoate in adult male rats. Asian J. Androl. 9:235-239. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7262.2007.00203.x
  12. Koeva, Y. A., K. N. Georgieva, P. K. Atanassova and S. D. Delchev. 2003. Effects of submaximal training and anabolic androgenic steroids administration on steroidogenic enzyme activity in rat Leydig cells. Folia Med. (Plovdiv). 45:37-40.
  13. Kuhn, C. M. 2002. Anabolic steroids. Recent Prog. Horm. Res. 57:411-434. https://doi.org/10.1210/rp.57.1.411
  14. Le Bizec, B., F. Monteau, I. Gaudin and F. Andre. 1999. Evidence for the presence of endogenouse 19-norandrosterone in human urine. J. Chromatogr. B. Biomed. Sci. Appl. 723:157-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4347(98)00541-6
  15. Lombardo, F., P. Sgrò, P. Salacone, B. Gilio, L. Gandini, F. Dondero, E. A. Jannini and A. Lenzi. 2005. Androgens and fertility. J. Endocrinol. Invest. 28:51-55.
  16. Mendiola, J., A. M. Torres-Cantero, J. M. Moreno-Grau, J. Ten, M. Roca, S. Moreno-Grau and R. Bernabeu. 2009. Food intake and its relationship with semen quality: a case-control study. Fertil. Steril. 91:812-818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.01.020
  17. Meyer, H. H., D. Falckenberg, T. Janowski, M. Rapp, E. F. Rosel, L. van Look and H. Karg. 1992. Evidence for the presence of endogenous 19-nortestosterone in the cow peripartum and in the neonatal calf. Acta Endocrinol. (Copenh). 126:369-373.
  18. Mobini Far, H. R., G. Agren, A. S. Lindqvist, M. Marmendal, C. Fahlke and I. Thiblin. 2007. Administration of the anabolic androgenic steroid nandrolone decanoate to female rats causes alterations in the morphology of their uterus and a reduction in reproductive capacity. Eur. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Reprod. Biol. 131:189-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2006.07.037
  19. Nagata, S., M. Kurosawa, K. Mima, Y. Nambo, Y. Fujii, G. Watanabe and K. Taya. 1999. Effects of anabolic steroid (19-nortestosterone) on the secretion of testicular hormones in the stallion. J. Reprod. Fertil. 115:373-379. https://doi.org/10.1530/jrf.0.1150373
  20. Noorafshan, A., S. Karbalay-Doust and F. M. Ardekani. 2005. High doses of nandrolone decanoate reduce volume of testis and length of seminiferous tubules in rats. APMIS. 113:122-125. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0463.2005.apm1130205.x
  21. Pokrywka, A., D. Kwiatkowska and D. Gorczyca. 2009. Possible reasons for the presence of nandrolone metabolites in urine. Arch. Med. Sadowej. Kryminol. 59:1550158.
  22. Ranke, M. B. and J. R. Bierich. 1986. Treatment of growth hormone deficiency. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 15:495-510. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0300-595X(86)80008-1
  23. Salas-Ramirez, K. Y., P. R. Montalto and C. L. Sisk. 2008. Anabolic androgenic steroids differentially affect social behaviors in adolescent and adult male Syrian hamsters. Horm. Behav. 53:378-385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.11.004
  24. Scarth, J., C. Akre, L. van Ginkel, B. Le Bizec, H. De Brabander, W. Korth, J. Points, P. Teale and J. Kay. 2009. Presence and metabolism of endogenous androgenic-anabolic steroid hormones in meat-producing animals: a review. Food Addit. Contam, Part A Chem. Anal. Control Expo. Risk Assess. 26:640-671. https://doi.org/10.1080/02652030802627160
  25. Schwarzenberger, F., G. S. Toole, H. L. Christie and J. I. Raeside. 1993. Plasma levels of several androgens and estrogens from birth to puberty in male domestic pigs. Acta Endocrinol. 128:173-177.
  26. Swan, S. H., F. Liu, J. W. Overstreet, C. Brazil and N. E. Skakkebaek. 2007. Semen quality of fertile US males in relation to their mothers' beef consumption during pregnancy. Hum. Reprod. 22:1497-1502. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dem068
  27. Takahashi, M., Y. Tatsugi and T. Kohno. 2004. Endocrinological and pathological effects of anabolic-androgenic steroid in male rats. Endocr. J. 51:425-434. https://doi.org/10.1507/endocrj.51.425
  28. Torres-Calleja, J., M. Gonzalez-Unzaga, R. DeCelis-Carrillo, L. Calzada-Sanchex and N. Pedron. 2001. Effects of androgenic anabolic steroids on sperm quality and serum hormone levels in adult male bodybuilders. Life Sci. 68:1769-1774. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0024-3205(01)00972-9
  29. Tseng, Y. T., R. W. Rockhold, B. Hoskins and I. K. Ho. 1994. Cardiovascular toxicities of nandrolone and cocaine in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 22:113-121. https://doi.org/10.1006/faat.1994.1014
  30. van Der, V. J. 1965. On the mechanism of action of nandrolone phenylpropionate and nandrolone decanoate inrats. Acta Endocrinol. (Copenh). 49:271-282.
  31. van Ginkel, L. A., R. W. Stephany, P. W. Zoontjes, H. J. van Rossum, H. van Blitterswijk and J. Zuijdendorp. 1989. The presence of nortestosterone in edible parts from non-castrated male pigs. Tijdschr. Diergeneeskd. 114:311-314.
  32. Yu-Yahiro, J., R. H. Michael, D. V. Nasralah and B. Schofield. 1989. Morphologic and histologic abnormalities in female and male rats treated with anabolic steroids. Am. J. Sports Med. 17:686-689. https://doi.org/10.1177/036354658901700517

Cited by

  1. The Impact of Exogenic Testosterone and Nortestosterone-Decanoate Toxicological Evaluation Using a Rat Model vol.9, pp.10, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0109219
  2. Effects of nandrolone decanoate on expression of steroidogenic enzymes in the rat testis vol.31, pp.5, 2018, https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.17.0899
  3. Nandrolone Decanoate: Use, Abuse and Side Effects vol.56, pp.11, 2010, https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56110606
  4. Assessment of testicular steroidogenic enzymes expression in experimental animal model following withdrawal of nandrolone decanoate vol.63, pp.6, 2021, https://doi.org/10.5187/jast.2021.e102