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Stereological study of the effects of nandrolone decanoate on the mouse liver
Saied Karbalay-Dousta, and Ali Noorafshan, a,
aDepartment of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Received 18 October 2008; revised 20 December 2008; accepted 20 December 2008. Available online 27 December 2008.
Abstract
Background
The beneficial potential of anabolic steroids comes with undesirable side effects. Short and long term side effects have been demonstrated in many organs, and the liver changes are associated with androgenic anabolic steroids use. Despite the widespread physiological, biochemical and pathological investigation of the effects of androgenic anabolic steroids on the liver, the stereological study of the effects of anabolic androgenic steroids on the liver histological structure has received less attention.
Aims
The present study investigates the nandrolone decanoate (ND) effects, on the liver.
Methods
The liver of the control and ND-treated mouse was fixed, processed, stained and studied using modern stereological methods.
Results
The analysis of the data revealed that liver weight and volume increased 19% and 35%, in ND-treated group in comparison with the control group respectively. The total volume of the hepatocytes and sinusoids increased 59% and 116% respectively in treated animals. The total volume of the central veins and portal triad veins decreased 42% and 70%, respectively. The total number of hepatocytes nuclei in experimental group increased 20%. The mean total volume of the connective tissue, arteries and bile ductules in the portal tracts and the mean volume of the hepatocytes and their nuclei did not show any significant changes.
Conclusion
ND can increase the volume of the liver, mainly due to hyperplasia of the hepatocytes.
Notes:
Deca caused an increase in liver weight and volume, authors did not detect increased collagen deposition as previously reported by others (indicative of cirrhosis??). This may be explained by decrease in size of hepatic vein and portal vein… important vessels responsible for filtering and distributing nutrient rich blood prior to reaching the heart. Liver size/volume increase may be due to either hepatocyte hyperplasia or hypertrophy or both. Previous studies indiciate that deca increases regenerative potential of the liver. Future directions include the study of androgenic receptors in hepatocytes.
Saied Karbalay-Dousta, and Ali Noorafshan, a,
aDepartment of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Received 18 October 2008; revised 20 December 2008; accepted 20 December 2008. Available online 27 December 2008.
Abstract
Background
The beneficial potential of anabolic steroids comes with undesirable side effects. Short and long term side effects have been demonstrated in many organs, and the liver changes are associated with androgenic anabolic steroids use. Despite the widespread physiological, biochemical and pathological investigation of the effects of androgenic anabolic steroids on the liver, the stereological study of the effects of anabolic androgenic steroids on the liver histological structure has received less attention.
Aims
The present study investigates the nandrolone decanoate (ND) effects, on the liver.
Methods
The liver of the control and ND-treated mouse was fixed, processed, stained and studied using modern stereological methods.
Results
The analysis of the data revealed that liver weight and volume increased 19% and 35%, in ND-treated group in comparison with the control group respectively. The total volume of the hepatocytes and sinusoids increased 59% and 116% respectively in treated animals. The total volume of the central veins and portal triad veins decreased 42% and 70%, respectively. The total number of hepatocytes nuclei in experimental group increased 20%. The mean total volume of the connective tissue, arteries and bile ductules in the portal tracts and the mean volume of the hepatocytes and their nuclei did not show any significant changes.
Conclusion
ND can increase the volume of the liver, mainly due to hyperplasia of the hepatocytes.
Notes:
Deca caused an increase in liver weight and volume, authors did not detect increased collagen deposition as previously reported by others (indicative of cirrhosis??). This may be explained by decrease in size of hepatic vein and portal vein… important vessels responsible for filtering and distributing nutrient rich blood prior to reaching the heart. Liver size/volume increase may be due to either hepatocyte hyperplasia or hypertrophy or both. Previous studies indiciate that deca increases regenerative potential of the liver. Future directions include the study of androgenic receptors in hepatocytes.