Androgen anabolic steroids changed transcriptional profile of MAPK genes and transiently increased apoptosis of testicular Leydig cells

摘要: CONCLUSIONFigure 5. Pre-treatment with AR antagonist reversed TE-induced effect on androgens production, Dym, NOS2 and Leydig cells apoptosis.A, B-The effects of AR blockade with androcur on androgen (A) and LH (B) levels in serum. C-The effects of AR blockade with androcur on level of androgens produced by purified Leydig cells during 2h incubation period. D-The effects of AR blockade with androcur on Dym measured in purified Leydig cells using TMRE fluorescent dye. E, F-The effects of AR blockade with androcur on the expression level of NOS2 protein (E) and nitrite production (F). G-The effects of AR blockade with androcur on Ar and Erk1 transcripts in Leydig cells. H-The effects of AR blockade with androcur on apoptosis of Leydig cells. Group of rats were left undisturbed (untreated) or treated weekly, for 2 weeks with vehicle or intramuscular injections of testosterone enanthate (TE, 0.5 mg/100g body weight), or androgen antagonist Androcur (A, 0.4 mg/100 g, weekly), or with combination (A+ TE). At the end of the treatment Leydig cells were isolated and subjected to TUNEL assay. TUNEL-stained cells were observed using a fluorescence microscope, scored at least30 randomly chosen fields and expressed as% of apoptosis in respect to total cell numbers. For more details please see Material & Methods. Data points are group means±SEM values of three independent experiments.