Effect of Trenbolone enanthate on protein degradation in levator ani/bulbocavernosus (LABC) muscle in orchiectomized rats

Trenbolone (TREN), a potent testosterone analog, does not undergo 5[alpha]-reduction to the more potent metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and may produce androgenic effects without DHT-mediated adverse effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism underlying the trenbolone – induced augmentation of LABC muscle mass in orchiectomized (ORX) rats. Forty, 10 month old male F344/Brown Norway rats were randomized into SHAM, ORX, ORX+TE, and ORX+TREN groups. Following surgery, animals recovered for 1 week and then were treated with vehicle, TE, or TREN by weekly i.m. injection. 5 weeks of TE administration nearly doubled prostate mass, while TREN resulted in a nonsigificant reduction in prostate mass, compared with SHAMs. ORX induced a significant 2-fold elevation atrogin-1 and a 3-fold elevation in Muscle RING Finger-1 mRNA expression, effects which were completely abolished by TE and TREN. Interestingly, TREN induced a greater decrease in atrogin-1 gene expression compared to TE. These...