Objective: To investigate the effect of protein anabolic hormone on fibroblast and hepatocyte of rat and the mechanism therein involved.
Methods: Thirty-two Wistar rats with deep second-degree scald injury of 20% total body surface area (TBSA) were randomly divided into two groups to receive either 5 mg/kg of an anabolic steroid--nandrolone phenylpropionate (NP group) or normal saline as placebo (control group) every other day. Mean Integrated Optical Density (mIOD) of androgen receptor (AR) in fibroblast and hepatocyte of rats were measured by immunohistochemistry individually on the post-burn days 4, 7, 14 and 21.
Results: The expression levels of AR on fibroblast and hepatocyte in NP group were significantly higher than those in the control group respectively.
Conclusion: Nandrolone phenylpropionate can enhance the expression and activation of AR on fibroblast and hepatocyte.