Nandrolone decanoate determines cardiac remodelling and injury by an imbalance in cardiac inflammatory cytokines and ACE activity, blunting of the Bezold–Jarisch reflex, resulting in the development of hypertension

• Published in: Steroids 2013-03, Vol.78 (3), p.379-385
• Main Authors: Franquni, João Vicente Maggioni, do Nascimento, Andrews Marques, de Lima, Eweliny Miranda, Brasil, Girlândia Alexandre, Heringer, Otávio Arruda, Cassaro, Karla Oliveira dos Santos, da Cunha, Thony Vinicius Pita, Musso, Carlos, Silva Santos, Maria Carmen L.F., Kalil, Ieda Carneiro, Endringer, Denise Coutinho, Boëchat, Giovanna Assis Pereirra, Bissoli, Nazaré Souza, de Andrade, Tadeu Uggere
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anabolic agents; Anabolic Agents - adverse effects; Animals; Arterial Pressure - drug effects; Bradycardia - etiology; Bradycardia - immunology; Bradycardia - physiopathology; Cardiopulmonary reflex; Gene Expression - drug effects; Heart Rate - drug effects; Hypertension - etiology; Hypertension - immunology; Hypertension - physiopathology; IL-10; IL-6; Interleukin-10 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-10 - immunology; Interleukin-6 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-6 - immunology; Male; Nandrolone - adverse effects; Nandrolone - analogs & derivatives; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - genetics; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reflex - drug effects; Serotonin - pharmacology; Sleep Apnea Syndromes - etiology; Sleep Apnea Syndromes - immunology; Sleep Apnea Syndromes - physiopathology; TNF-α; Troponin I; Troponin I - genetics; Troponin I - metabolism; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - biosynthesis; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - immunology; Ventricular Remodeling - drug effects
• ISSN: 0039-128X; 1878-5867
• DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2012.12.009

[Display omitted] ► AAS have been reported to elicit cardiovascular side effects when used as drug of abuse. ► ND determines cardiac cytokines imbalance reducing IL-10 and enhancing TNF-α and IL-6. ► Cardiac injury and BJR blunting induced by ND was demonstrated. ► ND treatment determines the development of hypertension. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of nandrolone (ND) on cardiac inflammatory cytokines, ACE activity, troponin I, and the sensitivity of the Bezold–Jarisch reflex (BJR). Male Wistar rats were administered either ND (20mg/kg; DECA) or vehicle (control animals; CONT) for 4weeks. BJR was analyzed by measuring the bradycardia and hypotension responses elicited by serotonin administration (2–32μg/kg). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was assessed and myocyte hypertrophy was determined by the heart weight/body weight ratio and by morphometric analysis. Matrix collagen deposition was assessed by histological analysis of the picrosirius red-stained samples. Mesenteric vascular reactivity was performed and central venous pressure (CVP) evaluated. Cardiac inflammatory cytokine levels and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity were studied as well the biomarker of cardiac lesion, troponin I. DECA group showed enhancement of matrix type I collagen deposition (p