Effects of submaximal training and anabolic androgenic steroids administration on steroidogenic enzyme activity in...

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the single and combined effects of submaximal training and anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) treatment on the activity of 3beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3betaHSD) in rat Leydig cells (LC). Forty male Wistar rats were distributed into 4 groups. Half of them exercised on treadmill. After 2 weeks half of the trained and sedentary rats received weekly either 10 mg x kg(-1) Nandrolone Decanoate (ND) or Placebo (Pl) i.m. for 6 weeks. The day after the last exercises all the groups: 1) sedentary + Pl (SP); 2) sedentary + ND (SND); 3) trained + Pl (TP) and 4) trained + ND (TND) were decapitated. On fresh cryostat sections of the testes of each animal enzymehistochemical reaction for the activity of 3betaHSD was carried out. Our results demonstrate that in sedentary rats ND treatment decreased the activity of 3betaHSD in the LC in comparison to SP. Endurance training also decreased the activity of 3betaHSD in TP group compared to SP. On sections of the testes of group TND a pronounced reduction in the enzyme activities of 3betaHSD in the LC was found in comparison with the other groups. In conclusion we suggest that submaximal endurance training and/or administration of AAS downregulate the steroidogenic enzyme activity of rat Leydig cells.