Effects of anabolic/androgenic steroids on regenerating skeletal muscles in the rat

We have examined the effect of male sexual hormones on the regeneration of skeletal muscles. Degeneration/regeneration of the left soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles (EDL) of Wistar male rats was induced by an injection of snake venom (2 microg, Notechis scutatus scutatus). During the muscle regeneration (25 days), rats were treated with either oil (CON), nandrolone (NAN), NAN combined with exercise (NAN + EXE) or were castrated (CAS). Muscle growth and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform content of regenerating muscles were studied. Castration altered the concentrations of MyHC in venom-treated EDL (P < 0.01) and soleus (P < 0.05). NAN increased the mass (P < 0.01) of regenerating soleus and decreased the relative amount of fast MyHC protein (% of total, P < 0.05). The effect of NAN + EXE on the fast MyHC proteins of venom-treated soleus was opposite (P < 0.05). NAN and NAN + EXE were without effect on the regenerating EDL (P > 0.05). In conclusion, it is possible that male sexual hormones play a role in the growth (synthesis of contractile proteins) of regenerating muscles in rat. In addition, contrary to NAN + EXE, NAN could be beneficial to soleus regeneration.