Castration induces progressive increase in the carotid intima-medial thickness of the male rat

Authors : İsaac CHERUİYOT, Beda OLABU, Martin KAMAU, Kevin ONGETİ, Pamela MANDELA

Pages : 65-70

View : 16 | Download : 12

Publication Date : 2018-08-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Objectives: The role of androgens in the development of cardiovascular diseases remains controversial. The current study therefore aimed to determine the changes in the carotid intima-medial thickness of the male rat in surgically-induced hypogonadism. Methods: Twenty-two Rattus norvegicus male rats aged two months were used. The rats were randomly assigned into baseline insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4);, experimental insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(9); and control insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(9); groups. Hypogonadism was surgically induced in the experimental group by bilateral orchiectomy under local anesthesia. At experiment weeks 3, 6 and 9, three rats from each group insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(experimental and control); were euthanized, their common carotid artery harvested, and routine processing was done for paraffin embedding, sectioning and staining. The photomicrographs were taken using a digital photomicroscope for morphometric analysis. Results: The mean carotid intima-median thickness was 321.97 μm at baseline. There was a progressive increase in the carotid intima-median thickness by 17.6%, 37% and 67.1% of the baseline values in the castrated group at the end of the third, sixth and ninth week respectively insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p<0.001);. Although the carotid intima-median thickness increased in the non-castrated group with increasing duration of the study, these increases were not statistically significant insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p=0.110);. The increase in carotid intima-median thickness was associated with hyperplasia of the intimal layer as well as increased deposition of collagen fibers in the medial layer. Conclusion: Androgen deprivation by surgical castration induces a progressive increase in the carotid intima-median thickness. This may constitute an anatomical basis for the higher predisposition of hypogonadal males to cardiovascular diseases.
Keywords : androgens, carotid intima medial thickness, castration, cardiovascular disease, hypogonadism