ABSTRACT
The anabolic androgenic steroids are known to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophy. Cardiomyocytes have two types of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in sarcolemma [sarck[ATP]] and in mitochondria [mitk[ATP]]. Activation of the sarck[ATP] channels has been proposed to protect against ischemia-reperfusion injury. This study aimed to investigate the effect of nandrolone decanoate [ND] on the expression of sarck[ATP] channels in the presence and absence of exercise in rat heart. In this experimental study, 40 adult male rats were divided into five groups: control, vehicle, ND, exercise and exercise-ND group. Rats in the exercise group were submitted to a running program on a treadmill, 5 days a week for 10 weeks. In addition, rats in the ND and exercise-ND groups received a weekly intramuscular injection of ND [10 mg/kg] for 10 weeks. Expression of the K[ATP] channel subunits [Kir6.2 and SUR2] was determined using the Western blotting method. ND administration had no effect on the expression of sarck[ATP] channel subunits in the sedentary group, while the chronic exercise significantly increased the expression of K[ATP] channel subunits [P=0.01]. Moreover, the ND administration significantly decreased the Kir6.2 [P=0.001] and SUR2 [P=0.05] subunits in the exercised animals. Chronic exercise and ND increases the expression of sarc[KATP] channels, and. The ND-induced expression decrement of channels is probably one of the mechanisms involved in the impairment of exercise-induced cardioprotection in rat heart
ABSTRACT
Herpes simplex virus [HSV] type 1 and 2 are common infectious agents worldwide. Data on prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection are limited in Asia, especially in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of HSV type 1 and 2 based on age, gender, marital status, education, living area, job, symptoms and history of disease variables. The study population included 800 randomly selected persons from laboratories in Gilan Province, Iran, from 2010 to 2011. Demographic data gathered by a well-designed questionnaire and for serological studies, blood samples were collected and centrifuged. ELISA HSV-1, 2 and HSV-2 specific ELISA kits were used to determine IgG type specific antibodies in sera samples. Person's chi-square test was applied to compare HSV-1 and HSV-2 seropositivities. HSV-1 and HSV-2 IgG antibodies wrere positive in 467 [58.4%] and 28 [3.5%] subjects, respectively. There was significant correlation between age, marital status, job, symptoms, history of disease and HSV seroprevalence [P<0.05]. Our findings were in agreement with prior studies in which HSV-1 infections was more prevalent than HSV-2 and seropositivity increased with age
ABSTRACT
To improve the athletic ability and muscle mass, anabolic androgenic steroids are abused by athletes. Little is known about how these compounds affect the fine structures of the testis. This study aimed to identify the changes in the fine structure of testis following administration of nandrolone decanoate. Twenty five Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two experimental, two vehicle, and one control groups. Experimental groups were treated by 3 or 10 mg/kg/wk intramuscular injection of nandrolone decanoate. The vehicle groups were treated by the same amount of peanut oil, for 14 weeks. One week after the last injection, the rats were sacrificed and their testes were prepared for transmission electron microscopy study. The cells in the interstitial space of the experimental rats were considerably degenerated. The basement membrane was thick and the diameter of seminiferous tubule was reduced. Several degenerated Sertoli cells and apoptotic germ cells were considerably observed in the experimental rats. The results of this study show that fine structure of the testis is affected by nandrolone decanoate
Subject(s)
Male , Animals, Laboratory , Nandrolone/pharmacology , Testis/drug effects , Testis/ultrastructure , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
Anabolic-androgenic steroids are used at high doses by athletes for improving athletic ability, physical appearance and muscle mass. Therefore, the abuse of these steroids has been significantly increased. Many undesirable side effects of these steroids on the male reproductive function have been reported, however, little is known about their effects on sexual behavior and tissues of the reproductive system. The aim of this study is to identify the effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids on the body, testis and epididymis weight, as well as semen parameters. Five groups of Sprague-Dawley adult male rats [n=72] were used. Two experimental groups were medicated with intramuscular injection of 3 and 10 mg/kg body wt/wk of nandrolone decanoate and two vehicle groups with same doses of sweet almond and olive oils, respectively, for 14 weeks. The control group received no injection. One week after the last injection, rats were sacrificed and the weights of the body, testis and epididymis and also semen parameters were assessed. The weights of testis and epididymis, as well as, sperm count and motility rate were significantly decreased in experimental groups than in the vehicle and control groups. Morphologically abnormal sperms were observed. We found that anabolic-androgenic steroids affect fertility parameters and cause testis atrophy