Following-up hemorheological consequences of gonadectomy in male and female rats

Abstract

Growing number of clinical and experimental data reflect to the gender differences of hemorheological parameters. However, little is known about the potential hemorheological effect of gonadectomy and consequent changes in sex hormone concentration. Adult, same-aged male and female rats were involved in the study. In control male and female group no surgical intervention was performed. In gonadectomized (GoE) male and female groups bilateral orchidectomy or ovariectomy were completed. Body weight measurement and blood sampling were carried out in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd postoperative months. The GoE females had significant bodyweight augmentation and their plasma estrogen concentration decreased by 40–45% by the 1st postoperative month, while in males the testosterone level was not detectable after gonadectomy. Leukocyte and platelet counts moderately increased in GoE males. Elongation index values of erythrocytes slightly decreased in both genders after gonadectomy, showing converging values. Erythrocyte aggregation index values of GoE females significantly raised by the 2nd month. It can be concluded that gonadectomy in rats resulted in alteration (dominantly impairment) of blood microrheological parameters, by different manner in males and females. Supposedly decrease in estrogen can cause more expressed hemorheological changes than the cessation of testosterone.