title: Effect of testosterone on Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in surgically castrated rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cisplatin (CP) is an important antitumor drug with serious side effects such as nephrotoxicity. Estrogens can affect CP-induced nephrotoxicity; however, the role of testosterone (TS), the main male sex hormone, is not clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the effect of TS on CP-induced nephrotoxicity in castrated male rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 54 male Wistar rats were castrated and allocated into eight groups. Groups 1 through 3 respectively received 10, 50, and 100 mg/kg/wk of TS and group 4 received sesame oil for four weeks; then all four groups received 2.5 mg/kg/d CP for one week. Groups 5 through 8 received the same treatment regimen as groups 1 through 4 during first four weeks but instead of CP, they received saline for one week. Then the animals were sacrificed for biochemical and histopathologic studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CP increased the serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), and malondialdehyde (SMDA) as well as kidney weight (KW), bodyweight (BW) loss, and kidney tissue damage score (KTDS). It significantly decreased the serum and kidney levels of nitrite and serum level of TS in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05). However, coadministration of CP and low dose of TS significantly decreased the serum levels of BUN as well as Cr and KTDS (P < 0.05). Administration of high-dose TS alone increased the SMDA level, KTDS, and KW while decreased the BW significantly (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that testosterone in low dose, i.e. physiologic dose, protects kidneys against CP-induced nephrotoxicity; however, special care is needed in CP therapy of patients with high levels of TS.
authors.affiliation: Water and Electrolytes Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran ; Department of Physiology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Bahar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rostami
authors.affiliation: Water and Electrolytes Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran ; Department of Physiology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran ; Institute of Basic and Applied Sciences Research, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nematbakhsh
authors.affiliation: Water and Electrolytes Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pezeshki
authors.affiliation: Water and Electrolytes Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran ; Department of Clinical Pathology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ardeshir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talebi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Water and Electrolytes Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moslemi
authors.affiliation: Water and Electrolytes Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eshraghi-Jazi
authors.affiliation: Water and Electrolytes Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Farzaneh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ashrafi
keywords: Castrated Rat; Cisplatin; Nephrotoxicity; Testosterone