Androgenic Modulation of Arterial Baroreceptor Dysfunction and Neuroinflammation in Endotoxic Male Rats
February 2021
in “
Brain Research
”
androgenic hormones testosterone lipopolysaccharide LPS baroreflex sensitivity neuroinflammation castration testosterone replacement phenylephrine sodium nitroprusside degarelix gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor blocker dihydrotestosterone DHT estrogen hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis endotoxemia
Studysummary This study found that testosterone replacement in castrated male rats counteracted endotoxemia-induced arterial baroreflex dysfunction without significantly affecting neuroinflammation.
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The study explored how androgenic hormones influence arterial baroreflex sensitivity and neuroinflammation in male rats experiencing endotoxic shock. It was found that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) decreased baroreflex sensitivity and increased inflammation in the heart and brainstem, which was slightly mitigated by castration. Testosterone replacement in castrated rats improved baroreflex sensitivity for phenylephrine but not for sodium nitroprusside and increased cardiac inflammation without affecting brainstem inflammation. The use of degarelix, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor blocker, prevented the negative effects of LPS on baroreflex sensitivity and inflammation. The study concluded that testosterone has a specific role in modulating the effects of LPS, and that neither dihydrotestosterone (DHT) nor estrogen, which are derived from testosterone, are involved in this modulation. The beneficial effects of blocking the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis with degarelix suggest a potential therapeutic approach for endotoxemia. The study involved 84 adult male Wistar rats.
