MODULATION OF IMMUNE-RESPONSES BY ANABOLIC-ANDROGENIC STEROIDS

Anabolic androgenic steroids (AS) have recently been placed on the Foo d and Drug Administration's (FDA's) list of controlled substances, bec ause of the adverse effects seen in athletes taking accelerated dosage s in attempts to enhance performance. Reported deleterious effects on abusers include sterility, gynecomastia in males, acne, balding, psych ological changes, and increased risks of heart disease and liver neopl asia. Considering the roles of the immune and neuroendocrine systems a nd their interactions in many of these pathologies, it is important to determine the effects of these derivitized androgens on this connecti on. Little is known in this respect. We therefore determined the effec ts of anabolic steroids on certain immune responses and their effects on the extrapituitary production of corticotropin by lymphocytes. We p resent evidence that (1) both 17-beta and 17-alpha esterified AS, nand rolone decanoate and oxymethenelone, respectively, significantly inhib ited production of antibody to sheep red blood cells in a murine abuse model; (2) the control androgens testosterone and dehydroepian-droste rone (DHEA) or sesame seed oil vehicle had no significant effects on a ntibody production; (3) nandrolone decanoate and oxymethenelone direct ly induced the production of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha from human peripheral blood lymphocytes but had no effect on IL-2 or IL-10 production; (4) control androgens had no direct cytokin e inducing effect; (5) nandrolone decanoate significantly inhibited IF N production in human WISH and murine L-929 cells; and (6) nandrolone decanoate significantly inhibited the production of corticotropin in h uman peripheral blood lymphocytes following viral infection. These dat a indicate that high doses of anabolic steroids can have significant e ffects on immune responses and extrapituitary production of corticotro pin. Furthermore, the mouse model should provide an effective means by which to study other deleterious effects of anabolic steroid abuse in humans.