Table 4.
Plasma steroid levels of 4-, 13-, and 24-month-old gonadally-intact (intact), gonadectomized (GDX), or GDX and T-replaced (GDX + T; Experiment 1), intact or intact and T-administered (Experiment 2), and intact or intact and 3α-diol administered (Experiment 3) rats.
| Age | Steroid condition | T (ng/ml) | E2 (pg/ml) | DHT (ng/ml) | 3α-diol (ng/ml) | CORT (μg/dl) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXPERIMENT 1 | ||||||
| 4 Months | Intact | 7.0 ± 1.1* | 0.6 ± 0.2 | 3.5 ± 0.3 | 1.9 ± 0.4* | 2.9 ± 1.3 |
| GDX | 3.5 ± 1.4*^ | 1.2 ± 0.4> | 3.8 ± 0.9 | 0.8 ± 0.1*^ | 2.7 ± 1.4 | |
| GDX + T | 5.8 ± 2.6* | 1.0 ± 0.4 | 3.3 ± 0.5 | 1.5 ± 0.3* | 3.5 ± 2.2 | |
| 13 Months | Intact | 4.8 ± 0.7 | 0.7 ± 0.2 | 4.2 ± 0.7 | 1.1 ± 0.2 | 1.9 ± 0.2 |
| GDX | 2.4 ± 0.7^ | 1.0 ± 0.4> | 3.5 ± 0.5 | 0.4 ± 0.1^ | 1.3 ± 0.1 | |
| GDX + T | 4.3 ± 0.7 | 3.2 ± 1.1 | 5.3 ± 1.6 | 1.2 ± 0.2 | 3.9 ± 2.0 | |
| 24 Months | Intact | 2.7 ± 0.9 | 0.4 ± 0.1 | 3.1 ± 0.4 | 0.3 ± 0.1 | 3.4 ± 1.8 |
| GDX | 2.3 ± 0.9^ | 1.4 ± 0.8> | 3.3 ± 0.9 | 0.3 ± 0.1 | 3.5 ± 2.1 | |
| GDX + T | 5.1 ± 1.8 | 5.4 ± 1.5 | 4.8 ± 1.4 | 0.4 ± 0.1 | 1.6 ± 0.3 | |
| EXPERIMENT 2 | ||||||
| 4 Months | Intact | 6.6 ± 0.9* | 1.8 ± 0.7 | 3.4 ± 1.6 | 1.4 ± 0.1 | – |
| Intact + T | 7.4 ± 0.1*^ | 1.7 ± 0.8 | 2.5 ± 0.8 | 3.0 ± 0.8 | – | |
| 13 Months | Intact | 5.4 ± 0.8 | 3.1 ± 0.2 | 3.2 ± 1.4 | 1.5 ± 0.3 | – |
| Intact + T | 7.2 ± 0.4*^ | 1.3 ± 1.1 | 0.8 ± 0.0 | 2.8 ± 0.4 | – | |
| 24 Months | Intact | 2.4 ± 0.6 | 1.3 ± 0.1 | 3.2 ± 2.7 | 0.3 ± 0.1 | – |
| Intact + T | 7.6 ± 0.0*^ | 3.2 ± 0.2 | 1.8 ± 1.1 | 0.4 ± 0.1 | – | |
| EXPERIMENT 3 | ||||||
| 4 Months | Intact | 9.0 ± 1.5** | – | 3.4 ± 0.4 | 1.2 ± 0.2## | – |
| Intact + 3α-diol | 5.4 ± 0.4** | – | 3.4 ± 0.3 | 1.5 ± 0.1^## | – | |
| 13 Months | Intact | 5.2 ± 1.1 | – | 4.9 ± 2,4 | 1.1 ± 0.1 | – |
| Intact + 3α-diol | 8.1 ± 3.2 | – | 5.2 ± 2.0 | 1.2 ± 0.1^ | – | |
| 24 Months | Intact | 2.8 ± 0.2 | – | 2.6 ± 0.0 | 0.6 ± 0.1 | – |
| Intact + 3α-diol | 3.4 ± 0.4 | – | 4.1 ± 0.6 | 1.3 ± 0.1^ | – | |
*Denotes significant difference from 13- and 24-month-old rats (p < 0.05). **Denotes significant difference from 24-month-old rats (p < 0.05). ^Denotes significant difference from intact or intact + vehicle groups (p < 0.05). >Denotes significant difference from GDX + T group (p < 0.05). ##Denotes a trend for difference from 24-month-old rats (p < 0.05).