Low-dose testosterone alleviates vascular damage caused by castration in male rats in puberty via modulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of testosterone on glucolipid metabolism and vascular injury in male rats, and examine the underlying molecular mechanisms. A total of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a control group (n=10), high-fat-diet + castration group (n=10), high-fat-diet + castration + low dose testosterone group (n=10), and high-fat-diet + castration + high dose testosterone group (n=10). Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to evaluate the morphology of the thoracic aortic tissues. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect biomarkers of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway. The mRNA and protein expression levels of PI3K, AKT, insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4), nuclear factor (NF)-κB and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the aortas were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses, respectively. Apoptosis in the aortic tissues was detected using a TUNEL assay. Castration induced apoptosis in the animals fed a high-fat-diet, whereas low dose testosterone replacement ameliorated the apoptosis in the aorta. However, the levels of apoptosis was more severe following high-dose testosterone treatment. Low-dose testosterone induced upregulation in the levels of IRS-1, AKT, GLUT-4 protein, NF-κB, TNF-α and PI3K, compared with those in the animals fed a high-fat diet following castration. A high dose of testosterone resulted in a significant decrease in the levels of IRS-1, AKT, GLUT-4, NF-κB, TNF-α and PI3K. Compared with the rats in the high-fat diet + castration group, a low dose of testosterone induced upregulation in the mRNA levels of IRS-1, AKT and GLUT-4, and downregulation of the mRNA levels of NF-κB, TNF-α and PI3K. A high dose of testosterone resulted in a significant decrease in the levels of IRS-1, AKT and GLUT-4, and marked increases in the mRNA levels of NF-κB, TNF-α and PI3K, compared with the low dose group. Castration induced marked disorders of glucolipid metabolism and vascular injuries in the pubescent male rats. Low-dose testosterone treatment was found to ameliorate the vascular damage caused by castration via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.