Anat Cell Biol.  2024 Mar;57(1):61-69. 10.5115/acb.23.196.

Reversible effect of castration induced hypogonadism on the morphology of the left coronary arteries in adult male rabbits

• Anangwe D
• Obimbo MM
• Ongidi IH
• Gichangi PB

• KMID: 2554241
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.23.196

Abstract

Hypogonadism is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease. This study sought to describe the histomorphology of the left coronary arteries of the adult male rabbit following orchiectomy and subsequent testosterone administration. We included 20 adult male rabbits, divided into a baseline group (n=2), an interventional group subjected to castration only (n=6), an intervention group subjected to castration followed by testosterone injection (n=6), and a control group (n=6). Key variables under investigation were serum testosterone levels, the intima-media thickness of coronary arteries, smooth muscle cell density, and adventitial collagen fiber density. The mean coronary arteries’ intimal medial thickness was significantly higher in the castrated group than in controls (0.488 mm and 0.388 mm, respectively), while the testosterone-injected group had a mean of 0.440 mm. Mean smooth muscle cell density was significantly lower in the castrated rabbits vs. controls (26.96% and 47.80%, respectively), this observation being reversed with testosterone injection (47.53%). Mean adventitial collagen fiber density was significantly higher in the castrated group than in controls (66.6% and 36.1%, respectively), with a marginal difference after testosterone injection (65.2%). This study demonstrates that castrationinduced hypogonadism causes morphological changes in the coronary arteries that are partly reversible using testosterone injections. These findings provide a morphological basis for understanding the role of testosterone in coronary arteries.

Keyword

Testosterone; Hypogonadism; Coronary vessels; Cardiovascular diseases; Coronary artery disease

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Representative slides of the left coronary artery wall from controls (A), castrated (B), and testosterone-injected rabbits (C). The double-ended arrow is IMT. Mean IMT was greater in the castrated group compared to the controls. Masson’s trichrome, ×100. TM, tunica media; TA, tunica adventitia; IMT, intima-media thickness.

• 

  Fig. 2 Bar graphs showing means of the IMT (A), mean smooth muscle cell densities (B), and mean adventitial collagen fiber densities (C) of the left coronary artery in control, castrated, and testosterone-injected groups. IMT, intima-media thickness.

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  Fig. 3 Representative slides of the left coronary artery wall from the control group (A), castrated group (B), and testosterone-injected groups (C). There were fewer smooth muscle cells per unit area in the tunica media of the castrated group. Hematoxylin and eosin, ×100. TM, tunica media; TA, tunica adventitia.

Reference

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