Effects of systemic androgens on late‐stage urethral wound healing: An animal study

Background There are limited data regarding the effects of systemic androgens on late‐stage urethral wound healing. Objective To evaluate the effects of systemic androgens on fibrosis and scar formation in late‐stage urethral wound healing. Materials and methods Forty‐five male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups. First group consisted of 15 rats that were castrated on 23 days of age and were given 5 mg/kg testosterone undecanoate with 1/25 ml cottonseed oil intraperitoneally at weekly intervals for 3 weeks (castrated and replaced with testosterone rats [CAS+T] group). The castrated rats (CAS) group included 15 castrated rats. The remaining 15 rats underwent sham surgery. CAS and sham groups also received 1/25 ml cottonseed oil intraperitoneally at weekly intervals for 3 weeks. Furthermore, all groups were divided into three subgroups after testosterone/placebo administration (urethroplasty performed after first, second, and third weeks) in accordance with the urethroplasty timing. All animals were sacrificed 6 weeks after urethroplasty. Serum testosterone level was measured, tissue samples were investigated using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome. Alpha‐SMA, Coll 1 and Coll 3 primary antibodies were applied for immunohistochemical examination. Expression of cytokines and growth factors, such as Bax, Bcl2, IL‐10, IP‐10, TNF‐alpha, TGFb1, MMP9, Col‐I, Col‐III, TIMP‐1, fibronectin, fibroblast growth factor 10, platelet‐derived growth factor, alpha‐SMA, were also evaluated in the tissues. Results The blood testosterone levels were significantly higher in CAS+T group at the time of urethroplasty compared with the levels in CAS group; however, this difference was not observed at the time of sacrification (p