title: Neuroprotective effects of testosterone on ischemia/reperfusion injury of the rabbit spinal cord.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of testosterone, but no previous study has examined the neuroprotective effects of testosterone on spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether testosterone could protect the spinal cord from ischemia/reperfusion injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rabbits were randomised into four groups of eight animals as follows: group 1 (control), group 2 (ischemia), group 3 (methylprednisolone) and group 4 (testosterone). In the control group only a laparotomy was performed. In all other groups, the spinal cord ischemia model was created by the occlusion of the aorta just caudal to the renal artery. Levels of malondialdehyde and catalase were analysed, as were the activities of caspase-3, myeloperoxidase, and xanthine oxidase. Histopathological and ultrastructural evaluations were performed. Neurological evaluation was performed with the Tarlov scoring system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After ischemia-reperfusion injury, increases were found in caspase-3 activity, myeloperoxidase activity, malondialdehyde levels, and xanthine oxidase activity. In contrast, decreases in catalase levels were observed. After the administration of testosterone, decreases were observed in caspase-3 activity, myeloperoxidase activity, malondialdehyde levels, and xanthine oxidase activity, whereas catalase levels increased. Furthermore, testosterone treatment showed improved results concerning histopathological scores, ultrastructural score and Tarlov scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results revealed for the first time that testosterone exhibits meaningful neuroprotective activity following ischemia-reperfusion injury of the spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Education and Research Hospital, Neurosurgey Clinic, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: boragurer@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gürer
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Neurosurgey Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hayri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kertmen
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Neurosurgey Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kasim
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Neurosurgey Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdal Resit
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Elazig Education and Research Hospital, General Surgery Clinic, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burhan Hakan
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kanat
authors.affiliation: Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Fevzi
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Sargon
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Department of Pathology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ata Türker
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Arikok
authors.affiliation: Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Berrin Imge
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Ergüder
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Neurosurgey Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeki
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sekerci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000097:blood; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000473:pathology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000473:pathology*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D013739:Testosterone; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Ischemia/reperfusion; Methylprednisolone; Neuroprotection; Spinal cord; Testosterone