Immunohistochemical investigation of morphological structure of hippocampus in testosterone administrated rats

In our study performed on rats, morphological changes in hippocampus were investigated after orchidectomy. In addition, the protective effects of testosterone were examined on these changesIn our investigation, a total of 21 male Wistar-Albino rats weightness 230-250 g were used. Animals were divided into three equal groups. The rats of group I was used sham-orchidectomy (control). The animals of group II were operated orchidectomy. The rats of group III was administrated testosterone propionate, every day 0,5 mg/kg, for 30 days after orchidectomy. At the end of the study animals were decapitated and the hippocampus tissue specimens were removed. Some of the hippocampus tissues were used for determination of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The remaining hippocampus tissue specimens were stained with routine histological methods and examined under the light microscope. Additionally, the samples were immunohistochemically stained using avidin-biotin-peroxidase method for determination bax immunoreactivity.The SOD and GSH-Px enzyme activities of hippocampus were decreased, and MDA levels were increased in rats orchidectomy were compared with the sham-control group. In the light microscopic evaluation tissue specimens of this group, significantly an increase were detected number of picnotic cells and bax immunoreactivity were compared with the sham-control group. However, an increase was observed in activities of SOD and GSH-Px enzymes and a decrease of MDA levels in animals of orchidectomy plus testosterone was observed. Furthermore, it was determined that increase of bax immunoreactivity and histopathological changes were regressed caused by orchidectomy in this group.Results from this biochemical, light microscopic, and immunohistochemical study revealed that orchidectomy-induced oxidative tissue damage and morphological changes in the hippocampus were supressed by testosterone.Key words: Hippocampus, testosterone, orchidectomy, immunohistochemistry, rat.