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Abstract
The aim was to examine the effect of testosterone on atherogenesis in cholesterol-fed,
castrated male rabbits not mediated via different plasma cholesterol levels. The rabbits
in the testosterone group (n = 19) and in the placebo group (n = 17) were injected intramuscularly twice weekly for 17 weeks with 25 mg testosterone
enantate and placebo, respectively, reaching plasma testosterone levels of 50–150
nmol/l in the testosterone group. No effect of testosterone on liver function or body
weight was detected, but at week 15 mean blood pressure was 75 ± 2 mmHg (mean ± S.E.)
in the testosterone group compared with 69 ± 2 mmHg in the placebo group (P < 0.05). To reduce variation in plasma cholesterol between the two groups, the amount
of cholesterol fed to each rabbit was adjusted on the basis of weekly determinations
of plasma cholesterol; the mean plasma cholesterol levels during the 17 weeks were
20.9 ± 1.0 and 20.4 ± 0.9 mmol/l for the placebo and testosterone groups. In the intima-inner
medias of the aortic arch, the thoracic and the abdominal aorta there were no consistent
significant differences in aortic cholesterol content, expressed either as nmol/cm2 or nmol/mg protein, between the two groups. However, the aortic cholesterol content
tended to be lower in the testosterone group than in the placebo group. These findings
suggest that in cholesterol-fed, castrated male rabbits, testosterone does not promote
atherogenesis by an effect directly on the arterial wall.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
October 29,
1992
Received in revised form:
October 28,
1992
Received:
July 23,
1992
Identification
Copyright
© 1993 Published by Elsevier Inc.