Reversal of weightlessness-induced musculoskeletal losses with androgens: quantification by MRI

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) 1999-06, Vol.86 (6), p.1841-1846
• Main Authors: Wimalawansa, Sunishka M, Chapa, Maria T, Wei, Jingna N, Westlund, Karin N, Quast, Michael J, Wimalawansa, Sunil J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anabolic Agents - pharmacology; Androgens; Androgens - pharmacology; Animals; Applied physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight - physiology; Bone and Bones - anatomy & histology; Bone and Bones - drug effects; Bone and Bones - physiology; Bones; Hindlimb Suspension - physiology; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Muscle, Skeletal - anatomy & histology; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Nandrolone - analogs & derivatives; Nandrolone - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Skeletal system; Space life sciences; Transports. Aerospace. Diving. Altitude; Weightlessness - adverse effects
• ISSN: 8750-7587; 1522-1601
• DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1999.86.6.1841

Departments of 1  Internal Medicine and 2  Anatomy and Neurosciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-1065. Microgravity causes rapid decrement in musculoskeletal mass is associated with a marked decrease in circulatory testosterone levels, as we reported in hindlimb-suspended (HLS) rats. In this model which simulates microgravity, we hypothesized that testosterone supplementation should prevent these losses, and we tested this in two studies. Muscle volumes and bone masses were quantitated by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on day 12 . In the first study, 12-wk-old Sprague-Dawley rats that were HLS for 12 days lost 28.5% of muscle volume (53.3 ± 4.8 vs. 74.5 ± 3.6 cm 3 in the ground control rats; P