title: Effects of Nandrolone Stimulation on Testosterone Biosynthesis in Leydig Cells.
abstract: Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are among the drugs most used by athletes for improving physical performance, as well as for aesthetic purposes. A number of papers have showed the side effects of AAS in different organs and tissues. For example, AAS are known to suppress gonadotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone. This study investigates the effects of nandrolone on testosterone biosynthesis in Leydig cells using various methods, including mass spectrometry, western blotting, confocal microscopy and quantitative real-time PCR. The results obtained show that testosterone levels increase at a 3.9 μM concentration of nandrolone and return to the basal level a 15.6 μM dose of nandrolone. Nandrolone-induced testosterone increment was associated with upregulation of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and downregulation of 17a-hydroxylase/17, 20 lyase (CYP17A1). Instead, a 15.6 µM dose of nandrolone induced a down-regulation of CYP17A1. Further in vivo studies based on these data are needed to better understand the relationship between disturbed testosterone homeostasis and reproductive system impairment in male subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Pathology, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.|Department of Anatomy, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
authors.forename: Cristoforo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pomara
authors.affiliation: Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.|Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences (BioNeC), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.affiliation: Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.|Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences (BioNeC), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marino Gammazza
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences (BioNeC), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sangiorgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Pathology, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.|Department of Radiology, Scientific Institute Hospital "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.affiliation: Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.|Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sense Organs (Nesmos), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pitruzzella
authors.affiliation: Locorotondo Labs srl, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Locorotondo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology and Medical Biotechnology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Gaudio
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Pathology, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maglietta
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Pathology, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio Luciano
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sarni
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences (BioNeC), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Felice
authors.affiliation: Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.|Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences (BioNeC), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cappello
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Pathology, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Turillazzi
mesh_terms: D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009277:Nandrolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: D045930:Anabolic Agents; D000728:Androgens; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D013739:Testosterone; D009277:Nandrolone; C582555:CYP17A1 protein, rat; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase