Uhlen, et al. (2003). Nandrolone treatment decreases the level of rat kidney alpha(1B)-adrenoceptors.

[Wise Young]

• Uhlen S, Lindblom J, Kindlundh A, Mugisha P and Nyberg F (2003). Nandrolone treatment decreases the level of rat kidney alpha(1B)-adrenoceptors. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol Summary: Abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) is associated with serious side effects, such as hypertension and fluid retention. Renal alpha(1)- and alpha(2)-adrenoceptors are implicated in the regulation of blood pressure and fluid balance. In the present study, the levels of renal alpha(1A)-, alpha(1B)-, alpha(2A)- and alpha(2B)-adrenoceptors, and spleen alpha(1B)-adrenoceptors, were quantified in tissue membranes from rats treated with the AAS nandrolone decanoate (15 mg/kg) for 14 days. The radioligands used were [(3)H]-prazosin and [(3)H]-RX821002. The nandrolone treatment caused a 50% reduction of kidney alpha(1B)-adrenoceptors (from 15 fmol/mg protein in control rats to 6.5 fmol/mg protein in treated rats). In contrast, the levels of kidney alpha(1A)-, alpha(2A)- and alpha(2B)-, and spleen alpha(1B)-adrenoceptors were unaffected. These results raise the possibility that a decreased level of kidney alpha(1B)-adrenoceptors may cause some of the effects observed on blood pressure and fluid balance in heavy abuse of AAS. Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Box 591 BioMedical Centre, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.