DNA damage, p53, Ki-67 and COX-2 expression in rat tongue cells exposed to nandrolone decanoate.

The objective of this article was to evaluate the impact potential of nandrolone decanoate on DNA damage, cellular regulatory proteins and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in oral mucosa cells of Wistar rats. A total of 40 rats were distributed into four groups. Two experimental groups were treated with nandrolone decanoate, at 5 mg/kg doses, subcutaneously, three times a week in two periods: 15 and 30 days. The remaining groups received only 0.9% saline subcutaneously, three times a week. To evaluate genetic damage, nandrolone decanoate at 15 mg/kg dose was exposed to 24 h. In the histopathological analysis, no remarkable morphological changes were observed in tongue tissue in all groups. Significant increase in immunoexpression of Ki-67, p53, COX-2 proteins was detected in the groups treated with nandrolone decanoate during 15 and 30 days, when compared to their respective controls. A positive correlation between immunoexpression of p53 and COX-2 protein was detected following nandrolone decanoate exposure. DNA damage was induced by nandrolone decanoate in oral mucosa cells at 15 mg/kg dose. Our results suggest that nandrolone decanoate was able to alter the expression of cell cycle-related proteins, as well as to induce genetic damage and COX-2 immunoexpression in tongue cells of Wistar rats.