Effect of Glucagon Like Peptide-1 on Serum Kisspeptin Level in Adult Male Albino Rats Treated by Anabolic Androgenic Steroid

Abstract
Background: Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) are widely used among youth and athletes for improving their physical appearance and performance. However, its use has adverse effects on sexual health and metabolism. Glucagon Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a gut hormone that participates in the neuroendocrine control of hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPG), and may play an important role in the reproductive functions as a component of GIT-brain axis. Also, the hypoth-alamic neuropeptide kisspeptin stimulates the Hypothalamic Pituitary Gonadal (HPG) axis and controls gonadotropin secretion. Few researches were performed to study the rela-tionship between each of GLP-1 and kisspeptin with HPG axis.
Aim: To evaluate the potential protective role of (GLP-1) against some altered sexual, metabolic, and histopathologic changes induced by the use of AAS in adult male albino rats.
Material and Methods: 40 adult male albino rats were divided into 4 groups; Group I (control or vehicle treated), Group II (GLP-1 + vehicle treated), Group III (AAS-treated) and Group IV (GLP-1 + AAS). In all groups, Body Weight (BW) was measured and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calcu-lated. Serum testosterone, Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), kisspeptin, glucose and insulin levels were measured, homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated, and lipid profile was estimated. The changes in the histopathological aspects of testis were examined. The testicular weight, testicular coefficient, epidydimal sperm count and motility were inves-tigated.
Results: The study revealed that peripheral injection of GLP-1 for 5 weeks to androgen treated-rats in Group IV (GLP-1 + AAS) significantly increased levels of serum kisspep-tin, LH, FSH, testosterone and consequently epidydimal sperm count and motility compared with rats in Group III (AAS-treated). In addition, GLP-1 treatment induced significant reductions in the values of fasting serum glucose and HOMA-IR, serum total cholesterol and LDL levels with no significant changes in serum insulin, HDL and TG levels in Group IV compared with Group III.
Conclusion: The administered GLP-1 may attenuate some altered sexual, metabolic and histopathological adverse effects induced by AAS use in adult male rats. Therefore, it may be a novel approach for managing AAS abuse.