Fig. 4.

Physiological and neuroendocrine alterations in male and female CRH-COE ^APit mice. a Body weight in homozygous male and female CRH-COE ^APit mice (black bars) was significantly decreased compared to control littermates (white bars). b A significant increase in relative adrenal gland weight was observed in male heterozygous (grey bars) and homozygous CRH-COE ^APit mice compared to control littermates. Relative adrenal gland weights were also significantly increased in homozygous female CRH-COE ^APit mice compared to their respective controls. c Relative thymus weight, assessed in males only, was significantly decreased in homozygous CRH-COE ^APit mice compared to control littermates. d A dosage-dependent increase in morning corticosterone levels was observed in heterozygous and homozygous male mice compared to control animals. Elevated coticosterone levels in the morning (a.m.), but not in the evening (p.m.) or in response to 10-min restraint stress, were also observed in female homozygous CRH-COE ^APit mice compared to control animals. *Significantly different from control mice (P < 0.05), not determined (n.d.). COE _het heterozygous conditional overexpressing mice, COE _hom homozygous conditional overexpressing mice, Ctrl control littermates