Anabolic steroids and lymphocyte function in sedentary and exercise-trained rats.
The effects of the administration of suprapharmacological doses of anabolic steroids (AASs) on the immune system were examined in sedentary and exercise-trained rats by testing mobility and proliferative response in cultures of thymus and spleen-derived lymphocytes. Male Wistar rats were exercise-trained following two programmes of treadmill running of 3 months duration, differing in intensity, in the absence of treatment or with simultaneous i.m. administration of a suprapharmacological dose (10 mg/kg/week) of nandrolone decanoate (ND) or stanozolol (ST) during the past two months. At this dose ND reduced body weight gain, promoted a redistribution of immune cells from thymus to spleen, impaired lymphocyte mobility and inhibited the mitogen-induced proliferative response (about 90% inhibition for thymus-derived cells). Stanozolol (ST) treatment was without effect on body weight gain, but it also induced a redistribution of lymphocytes and modified the in vitro lymphocyte activity, although less severely than ND. Application of the high-intensity training programme reduced lymphocyte mobility and proliferation in vitro and a simultaneous treatment with anabolic steroids further impaired some of the immune cell responses. Application of the endurance-directed training programme, however, did not reduce mobility or mitogen-induced proliferation of lymphocytes, and normalized the activity of these cells in anabolic steroid-treated rats. So, endurance exercise, contrary to high-intensity training, could counteract the apparent negative effects of high doses of androgens on lymphocyte function.
Ferrández
M D
MD
Department of Animal Biology II (Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.
de la Fuente
M
M
Fernández
E
E
Manso
R
R
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009277:Nandrolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D005082:Physical Exertion; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013154:Spleen / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013197:Stanozolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D045930:Anabolic Agents; D013197:Stanozolol; D009277:Nandrolone