Table 2.

The expression of TIMP-3 and MMP-3 on different groups with analysis by RT-PCR.

Sex hormone	Expression of TIMP-3 (X-fold of control)		Expression of MMP-3 (X-fold of control)
	Male	Female	Male	Female
Estradiol
10−6 (n = 9)	2.89 (2.68 to 3.11)	22.41 **(20.99 to 23.83)	0.31 (0.23 to 0.39)	0.09 *(0.07 to 0.11)
10−7 (n = 9)	2.77 (2.62 to 2.92)	13.68 **(9.54 to 17.42)	0.24 (0.17 to 0.31)	0.18 (0.13 to 0.23)
Testosterone
10−6 (n = 9)	0.72 (0.69 to 0.75)	3.21 (3.11 to 3.31)	0.68 (0.56 to 0.81)	0.17 (0.15 to 0.19)
10−7 (n = 9)	0.89 (0.78 to 1.01)	3.31 (1.72 to 4.91)	0.77 (0.50 to 1.04)	0.18 (0.14 to 0.22)

Values are the mean (95% confidence interval [CI]).

n: number of chondrocytes samples.

*P = 0.001 and **P < 0.001 by multiway ANOVA.