Nandrolone and resistance training induce heart remodeling: Role of fetal genes and implications for cardiac pathophysiology

Author(s):Show less -

Tanno, Ana Paula ^[1] ; das Neves, Vander Jose ^[1] ; Rosa, Kaleizu Teodoro ^[2] ; Cunha, Tatiana Sousa ^{[1, 3]} ; Linarello Giordano, Fernanda Cristina ^[1] ; Calil, Caroline Morini ^[1] ; Guzzoni, Vinicius ^[1] ; Fernandes, Tiago ^[4] ; de Oliveira, Edilamar Menezes ^[4] ; Novaes, Pedro Duarte ^[5] ; Irigoyen, Maria Claudia ^[2] ; Costa Sampaio Moura, Maria Jose ^[6] ; Marcondes, Fernanda Klein ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Piracicaba Dent Sch, Dept Physiol Sci, Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Heart Inst InCor, Hypertens Unit, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Inst Sci & Technol, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Phys Educ & Sports, Biochem Lab, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Estadual Campinas, Piracicaba Dent Sch, Dept Morphol, Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[6] Pontifical Catholic Univ Campinas, Life Sci Ctr, Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Life Sciences; v. 89, n. 17-18, p. 631-637, OCT 24 2011.
• Web of Science Citations: 21

Abstract

Aims: This study was conducted to assess the isolated and combined effects of nandrolone and resistance training on cardiac morphology, function, and mRNA expression of pathological cardiac hypertrophy markers. Main methods: Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups and submitted to 6 weeks of treatment with nandrolone and/or resistance training. Cardiac parameters were determined by echocardiography. Heart was analyzed for collagen infiltration. Real-time RT-PCR was used to assess the pathological cardiac hypertrophy markers. Key findings: Both resistance training and nandrolone induced cardiac hypertrophy. Nandrolone increased the cardiac collagen content, and reduced the cardiac index in non-trained and trained groups, when compared with the respective vehicle-treated groups. Nandrolone reduced the ratio of maximum early to late transmitral flow velocity in non-trained and trained groups, when compared with the respective vehicle-treated groups. Nandrolone reduced the alpha-myosin heavy chain gene expression in both non-trained and trained groups, when compared with the respective vehicle-treated groups. Training reduced the beta-myosin heavy chain gene expression in the groups treated with vehicle and nandrolone. Only the association between training and nandrolone increased the expression of the skeletal alpha-actin gene and atrial natriuretic peptide in the left ventricle. Significance: This study indicated that nandrolone, whether associated with resistance training or not, induces cardiac hypertrophy, which is associated with enhanced collagen content, re-expression of fetal genes the in left ventricle, and impaired diastolic and systolic function. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)