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. 2017 Feb;13(2):614-618.
doi: 10.3892/etm.2016.3974. Epub 2016 Dec 15.

Determination of DNA damage and telomerase activity in stanozolol-treated rats

Mehtap Kara  1 , Eren Ozcagli  1 , Persefoni Fragkiadaki  2 , Tugba Kotil  3 , Polychronis D Stivaktakis  2 , Demetrios A Spandidos  4 , Aristides M Tsatsakis  2 , Buket Alpertunga  1
Affiliations

Determination of DNA damage and telomerase activity in stanozolol-treated rats

Mehtap Kara et al. Exp Ther Med. 2017 Feb.

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.

Keywords: DNA damage; anabolic androgenic steroids; comet assay; stanozolol; telomerase activity.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(A) Tail intensity and (B) telomerase activity (%) of stanozolol and propylene glycol (PG)-exposed groups. Group I, control; group II, PG; group III, stanozolol; group IV, PG treatment and exercise; group V, stanozolol treatment and exercise. Extreme outliers are indicated by an asterisk (*) and circle (º).
Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(A) Tail intensity and (B) telomerase activity (%) of stanozolol and propylene glycol (PG)-exposed groups. Group I, control; group II, PG; group III, stanozolol; group IV, PG treatment and exercise; group V, stanozolol treatment and exercise. Extreme outliers are indicated by an asterisk (*) and circle (º).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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