title: Determination of DNA damage and telomerase activity in stanozolol-treated rats.
abstract: Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are performance-enhancing drugs commonly abused by atheletes. Stanozolol is a synthetic testosterone-derived anabolic steroid. Although it is well known that AAS have several side-effects, there are only few toxicological studies available on the toxic effects and mechanisms of action of stanozolol. The aim of this study was to investigate the genotoxic effects of stanozolol and to determine its effects on telomerase activity in Sprague-Dawley male rats. For this purpose, 34 male rats were divided into 5 groups as follows: i) the control group (n=5); ii) the propylene glycol (PG)-treated group (n=5); iii) the stanozolol-treated group (n=8); iv) the PG-treated group subjected to exercise (n=8); and v) the stanozolol-treated group subjected to exercise (n=8). PG is used as a solvent control in our study. Stanozolol (5 mg/kg) and PG (1 ml/kg) were injected subcutaneously 5 days/week for 28 days. After 28 days, the animals were sacrificed, and DNA damage evaluation (comet assay) and telomerase activity assays were then performed using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Telomerase activity was measured by using the TeloTAGGG Telomerase PCR ELISA PLUS kit. The results of this study revealed that stanozolol treatment induced DNA damage, while exercise exerted a protective effect. Stanozolol treatment without exercise stimulation was associated with a significant increase in telomerase activity in the PBMCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34116, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehtap
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34116, Turkey.
authors.forename: Eren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozcagli
authors.affiliation: Center of Toxicology Science and Research, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Greece.
authors.forename: Persefoni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fragkiadaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34116, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tugba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kotil
authors.affiliation: Center of Toxicology Science and Research, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Greece.
authors.forename: Polychronis D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Stivaktakis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Greece.
authors.forename: Demetrios A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spandidos
authors.affiliation: Center of Toxicology Science and Research, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Greece.
authors.forename: Aristides M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tsatsakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34116, Turkey.
authors.forename: Buket
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alpertunga
keywords: DNA damage; anabolic androgenic steroids; comet assay; stanozolol; telomerase activity