[Study of vascular endothelial injury in male castrated rats].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the injury of vascular endothelium in male castrated rats. METHODS: A total of 30 eight-week-old adult male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groupscontrol (n = 8); castration (n = 11) (low androgen) and replacement (n = 11) (androgen dosing after castration). After 10 weeks of treatment or castration, the rats were sacrificed to obtain aortic specimens. Arterial morphological changes were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and electron microscope. Endothelial cell chromatin degradation was detected by the assay of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The mRNA level of bcl-2 was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the arterial structure was disorderly and had shedding of endothelium in the castration group. More apoptotic endothelial cells were found in the castration group (61% ± 20%) than the other two groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the bcl-2 mRNA level decreased significantly in the castration group (P < 0.05). However no significant difference existed in the replacement group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low androgen may damage the structure of vascular endothelium in male castrated rats.