Table 4.
Steroid profiling in brain (ipsilateral hemisphere) and plasma of young adult C57BL/6 mice of both sexes: endpoint measures are at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 24 h after MCAO
| Steroid | Sex | Time post-MCAO (h) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTL | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 24 | ||
| Ipsilateral hemisphere (ng/g) | |||||||
| 5β-DHP | M | 0.09 ± 0.08 | 0.07 ± 0.01 | 0.09 ± 0.03 | 0.09 ± 0.04 | 0.11 ± 0.04 | 0.06 ± 0.01 |
| F | 0.14 ± 0.08 | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.11 ± 0.03 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | |
| 3β5α-THP | M | 0.36 ± 0.11 | 0.44 ± 0.08 | 0.41 ± 0.05 | 0.33 ± 0.06 | 0.43 ± 0.10 | 0.61 ± 0.14 |
| F | 0.09 ± 0.04 | 0.01 ± 0.004 | 0.09 ± 0.05 | 0.07 ± 0.02 | 0.09 ± 0.04 | 0.14 ± 0.02$ | |
| 3α5β-THP | M | 0.09 ± 0.03 | 0.06 ± 0.01 | 0.08 ± 0.03 | 0.10 ± 0.04 | 0.10 ± 0.03 | 0.06 ± 0.01 |
| F | 0.12 ± 0.07 | 0.10 ± 0.03 | 0.19 ± 0.07 | 0.47 ± 0.22 | 0.71 ± 0.32$ | 0.47 ± 0.26 | |
| 3α5α20α-HHP | M | 0.39 ± 0.15 | 0.98 ± 0.34 | 0.51 ± 0.07 | 0.46 ± 0.07 | 0.69 ± 0.17 | 0.66 ± 0.17 |
| F | 0.68 ± 0.15 | 0.36 ± 0.11 | 0.62 ± 0.25 | 0.28 ± 0.10 | 0.21 ± 0.04 | 0.14 ± 0.05 | |
| 3β5α20α-HHP | M | 0.03 ± 0.02 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | 0.04 ± 0.01 |
| F | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.05 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | |
| 3α5β20α-HHP | M | 0.01 ± 0.003 | 0.005 ± 0.002 | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| F | 0.07 ± 0.04 | 0.01 ± 0.002 | 0.02 ± 0.004 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.10 ± 0.05 | 0.001 ± 0.00005 | |
| 20α-DHPREG | M | 0.13 ± 0.02 | 0.09 ± 0.03 | 0.09 ± 0.01 | 0.11 ± 0.01 | 0.11 ± 0.01 | 0.11 ± 0.02 |
| F | 0.14 ± 0.03 | 0.18 ± 0.03 | 0.21 ± 0.08 | 0.59 ± 0.50$$ | 0.21 ± 0.05 | 0.11 ± 0.03 | |
| DOC | M | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 2.68 ± 0.69 | 4.56 ± 0.48* | 7.90 ± 1.56*** | 7.30 ± 1.57*** | 1.34 ± 0.40 |
| F | 0.11 ± 0.03 | 4.47 ± 1.49** | 3.27 ± 0.51 | 4.79 ± 0.71* | 5.93 ± 1.41*** | 0.81 ± 0.27 | |
| 5α-DHDOC | M | 0.23 ± 0.04 | 1.16 ± 0.25 | 1.20 ± 0.18 | 1.96 ± 0.30* | 1.90 ± 0.61* | 1.48 ± 0.33 |
| F | 0.06 ± 0.01 | 0.49 ± 0.18 | 0.75 ± 0.23* | 0.99 ± 0.26** | 0.90 ± 0.15** | 0.35 ± 0.10 | |
| 5β-DHDOC | M | 0.01 ± 0.01 | 0.01 ± 0.001 | 0.01 ± 0.002 | 0.07 ± 0.03 | 0.15 ± 0.09 | 0.06 ± 0.03 |
| F | 0.21 ± 0.08 | 2.63 ± 1.21*$$ | 3.46 ± 0.66**$$$ | 2.43 ± 0.27$$ | 3.45 ± 0.70**$$$ | 0.95 ± 0.33 | |
| 3α5α-THDOC | M | 0.11 ± 0.03 | 0.37 ± 0.01 | 0.33 ± 0.07 | 0.35 ± 0.06 | 0.39 ± 0.14 | 0.61 ± 0.19 |
| F | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.13 ± 0.02*** | 0.01 ± 0.002$$ | |
| 3α5β-THDOC | M | 0.01 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.003 ± 0.0003 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | 0.08 ± 0.05 | 0.02 ± 0.01 |
| F | 0.15 ± 0.06 | 0.99 ± 0.84 | 1.44 ± 0.78 | 0.75 ± 0.41 | 7.71 ± 3.36*$$$ | 0.58 ± 0.54 | |
| Corticosterone | M | 3.76 ± 1.00 | 27.6 ± 6.24 | 69.0 ± 21.8 | 75.7 ± 23.3 | 214.6 ± 41.2*** | 67.0 ± 23.5 |
| F | 1.40 ± 0.33 | 17. 0 ± 6.85 | 49.2 ± 13.6** | 76.1 ± 20.2*** | 68.6 ± 10.6***$$$ | 20.4 ± 8.61 | |
| Testosterone | M | 1.21 ± 0.39 | 0.22 ± 0.06*** | 0.15 ± 0.05*** | 0.14 ± 0.03*** | 0.08 ± 0.01*** | 0.06 ± 0.01*** |
| F | 0.02 ± 0.01$$$ | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.01 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.03 | 0.02 ± 0.005 | 0.01 ± 0.01 | |
| 5α-DHT | M | 0.19 ± 0.06 | 0.06 ± 0.02*** | 0.02 ± 0.01*** | 0.03 ± 0.01*** | 0.02 ± 0.01*** | 0.02 ± 0.001*** |
| F | 0.02 ± 0.01$$$ | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.002 ± 0.001 | 0.01 ± 0.004 | 0.002 ± 0.001 | |
| 3α5α-THT | M | 0.16 ± 0.05 | 0.05 ± 0.01*** | 0.02 ± 0.02*** | ND | 0.003 ± 0.002*** | 0.01 ± 0.01*** |
| F | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | |
| Estradiol | M | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.06 ± 0.01 | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.02 ± 0.01 |
| F | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.01 ± 0.002 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.01 ± 0.01 | 0.001 ± 0.0002 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | |
| Plasma (ng/ml) | |||||||
| 5β-DHP | M | 0.02 ± 0.01 | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| F | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.12 ± 0.01***$$$ | 0.12 ± 0.01***$$$ | 0.11 ± 0.02***$$$ | 0.17 ± 0.03***$$$ | 0.09 ± 0.02**$$$ | |
| 3β5α-THP | M | 0.01 ± 0.003 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.07 ± 0.02 | 0.04 ± 0.02 |
| F | 0.02 ± 0.004 | 0.01 ± 0.002 | 0.02 ± 0.002 | 0.01 ± 0.005 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | |
| 3α5β-THP | M | 0.07 ± 0.02 | 0.10 ± 0.03 | 0.07 ± 0.02 | 0.06 ± 0.01 | 0.10 ± 0.02 | 0.09 ± 0.04 |
| F | 0.33 ± 0.07 | 0.22 ± 0.09 | 0.57 ± 0.06 | 0.74 ± 0.09$$ | 1.03 ± 0.38*$$$ | 0.25 ± 0.09 | |
| 3α5α20α-HHP | M | 0.18 ± 0.10 | 0.14 ± 0.05 | 0.35 ± 0.05 | 0.54 ± 0.11 | 0.52 ± 0.12 | 0.34 ± 0.07 |
| F | 0.32 ± 0.07 | 0.26 ± 0.03 | 0.54 ± 0.11 | 0.35 ± 0.03 | 0.27 ± 0.07 | 0.22 ± 0.04 | |
| 3β5α20α-HHP | M | 0.01 ± 0.003 | 0.02 ± 0.004 | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | 0.06 ± 0.01 |
| F | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.05 ± 0.01 | 0.10 ± 0.03 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | |
| 3α5β20α-HHP | M | 0.03 ± 0.02 | 0.01 ± 0.003 | 0.004 ± 0.002 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.01 ± 0.005 | 0.01 ± 0.004 |
| F | 0.06 ± 0.02 | 0.07 ± 0.02 | 0.15 ± 0.04$$ | 0.23 ± 0.02**$$$ | 0.25 ± 0.06**$$$ | 0.07 ± 0.02 | |
| 20α-DHPREG | M | 0.01 ± 0.005 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.002 | 0.02 ± 0.004 | 0.02 ± 0.01 |
| F | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.01 ± 0.01 | 0.01 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.002 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | |
| DOC | M | 0.28 ± 0.13 | 1.42 ± 0.36 | 2.27 ± 0.68 | 2.78 ± 0.63 | 4.83 ± 1.04*** | 0.84 ± 0.47 |
| F | 0.20 ± 0.07 | 1.31 ± 0.45 | 2.07 ± 0.52 | 4.08 ± 0.93*** | 3.26 ± 0.66*** | 0.81 ± 0.27 | |
| 5α-DHDOC | M | 0.20 ± 0.06 | 0.35 ± 0.09 | 0.34 ± 0.15 | 0.50 ± 0.14 | 0.39 ± 0.16 | 0.43 ± 0.13 |
| F | 0.09 ± 0.03 | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | 0.18 ± 0.02 | 0.18 ± 0.06 | 0.08 ± 0.02 | |
| 5β-DHDOC | M | 0.02 ± 0.0002 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.02 ± 0.003 | 0.03 ± 0.02 | 0.01 ± 0.002 | 0.06 ± 0.03 |
| F | 0.21 ± 0.07 | 1.64 ± 0.21**$$$ | 1.79 ± 0.19**$$$ | 2.89 ± 0.17***$$$ | 2.54 ± 0.47***$$$ | 1.01 ± 0.39*$$$ | |
| 3α5α-THDOC | M | 0.11 ± 0.05 | 0.26 ± 0.09 | 0.39 ± 0.22 | 0.51 ± 0.23 | 0.38 ± 0.20 | 0.41 ± 0.19 |
| F | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.05 ± 0.01 | 0.09 ± 0.03 | 0.24 ± 0.07*** | 0.17 ± 0.03* | 0.05 ± 0.01 | |
| 3α5β-THDOC | M | 0.01 ± 0.01 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.07 ± 0.06 | 0.10 ± 0.03 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.05 ± 0.03 |
| F | 0.39 ± 0.17 | 6.95 ± 1.43 | 13.9 ± 0.94*$$ | 29.6 ± 3.11***$$$ | 21.8 ± 7.52***$$$ | 4.58 ± 2.10 | |
| Corticosterone | M | 10.2 ± 4.71 | 109.2 ± 13.9** | 139.3 ± 21.9*** | 215.6 ± 33.6*** | 213.2 ± 12.2*** | 67.6 ± 18.1* |
| F | 21.5 ± 5.99 | 60.5 ± 6.80 | 92.0 ± 4.13 | 182.4 ± 41.3** | 191.2 ± 42.2** | 66.4 ± 31.6 | |
| Testosterone | M | 2.16 ± 0.87 | 0.34 ± 0.07*** | 0.15 ± 0.04*** | 0.14 ± 0.02*** | 0.11 ± 0.02*** | 0.05 ± 0.01*** |
| F | 0.01 ± 0.003$$$ | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.01 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.02 ± 0.003 | |
| 5α-DHT | M | 0.08 ± 0.02 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.04 ± 0.03 | 0.06 ± 0.03 | 0.06 ± 0.03 | 0.08 ± 0.04 |
| F | 0.01 ± 0.002 | ND | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.004 ± 0.002 | 0.01 ± 0.004 | 0.004 ± 0.003 | |
| 3α5α-THT | M | 0.25 ± 0.06 | 0.17 ± 0.07 | 0.06 ± 0.02* | 0.05 ± 0.003* | 0.03 ± 0.01** | ND |
| F | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | |
| Estradiol | M | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.02 ± 0.003 | 0.03 ± 0.002 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.03 ± 0.01 |
| F | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.08 ± 0.03 | 0.02 ± 0.01 | 0.06 ± 0.02 | 0.01 ± 0.01 | 0.04 ± 0.02 | |
Plasma and brain levels of steroids are expressed as ng/ml for plasma or ng/g for brain (mean ± SEM; n = 4–10 per group). Statistical analysis: one way ANOVA followed by Newman–Keuls multiple-comparisons tests.
***p < 0.001,
**p < 0.01,
*p < 0.05 versus CTL (controls) without MCAO and by two-way ANOVA (sex × time) followed by Newman–Keuls multiple-comparisons tests. Significance: $$$p < 0.001, $$p < 0.01, $p < 0.05 females versus males.
Abbreviations of steroids are as for Table 1. ND, Not detected.