Figure 1.

Experimental design, cyclicity, and T levels. (Top) Experimental design of the four study groups: mice sacrificed at 6 weeks on T (On T), parallel age-matched controls for On T (Control OT), mice sacrificed after T cessation and four estrous cycles after resumption of cyclicity (Post-T), and parallel age-matched controls for Post-T (Control PT). (Middle) All T-treated mice stopped cycling within 1 week of starting T and it took 3.5–10 weeks after T cessation at 6 weeks for mice to resume cycling. (Bottom) T levels (ng/mL, mean ± SD) were elevated during T therapy (at 6 weeks on T, P < 0.0001), were slow to washout with mean T levels still elevated 7 weeks into the washout period (at week 13, P = 0.0016), and were not detectably different from controls when mice were sacrificed four estrous cycles after resumption of cyclicity.