The Effect of Eight Weeks of Resistance Training and Testosterone Enanthate Consumption on TNF-α and IL-6 Genes’ Expression in the Kidney Tissue of Female Wistar Rats

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a testosterone enanthate anabolic steroid on the gene expression of inflammatory factors in the kidney tissue of female rats following eight weeks of resistance training. Methods: Twenty-one female Wistar rats weighing 200 ± 20 g, aged eight weeks, were prepared from the Iran Pasture Institute. Following a week for acclimatization, the rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (n = 7), training + placebo (n = 6), and training + testosterone enanthate (n = 8). Resistance training included five days a week of climbing a 1-meter ladder with 26 stairs while bearing weights and two days of rest. In the first week, the weights were equal to 40% of the rats’ body weight. In the following weeks, the weight was increased by 20% per week. The rats were weighed two times a week. In the testosterone group, the rats were injected with 20 mg of testosterone enanthate thrice a week. Forty-eight hours following the last training session and testosterone injection, kidney tissue samples were collected to determine the gene expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) using real-time PCR. Results: The results showed that testosterone consumption significantly increased the gene expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in female rats undergoing resistance training (P = 0.001). Conclusions: The findings of this study demonstrated that using testosterone increased inflammatory factors in the kidney tissue of all female Wistar rats.