摘要
Aim: To investigate the relationship between low androgen level and ultrastructure of vascular endothelium. Methods: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: group A, normal rats with sham castration; group B, castrated rats; group C, castrated rats given testosterone (T) undecanoate; and group D, intact rats treated with 5α-reductase inhibitor. After 10 weeks of treatment or castration, rats in different groups were killed and serum T, free T (FT) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured. The aortic endothelia were scanned under electron microcopy and the Vascular Endothelium Structure Score (VESS) was computed. Results: Serum T and FT concentrations of rats in group B were significantly lower than those of the other three groups (P 〈 0.01); DHT concentrations of group D rats were significantly decreased (P 〈 0.01 ) when compared with those of groups A and C. Rats in groups B and D rats (with low androgen levels) had obvious damage to their endothelial surfaces, which appeared crimpled, rough, adhesive and ruptured, and had high destruction of VESS. Conclusion: These results suggest that low concentrations of T and DHT are associated with ultrastructural damage of the aortic endothelia in male rats.
Aim: To investigate the relationship between low androgen level and ultrastructure of vascular endothelium. Methods: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: group A, normal rats with sham castration; group B, castrated rats; group C, castrated rats given testosterone (T) undecanoate; and group D, intact rats treated with 5α-reductase inhibitor. After 10 weeks of treatment or castration, rats in different groups were killed and serum T, free T (FT) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured. The aortic endothelia were scanned under electron microcopy and the Vascular Endothelium Structure Score (VESS) was computed. Results: Serum T and FT concentrations of rats in group B were significantly lower than those of the other three groups (P 〈 0.01); DHT concentrations of group D rats were significantly decreased (P 〈 0.01 ) when compared with those of groups A and C. Rats in groups B and D rats (with low androgen levels) had obvious damage to their endothelial surfaces, which appeared crimpled, rough, adhesive and ruptured, and had high destruction of VESS. Conclusion: These results suggest that low concentrations of T and DHT are associated with ultrastructural damage of the aortic endothelia in male rats.
基金
Acknowledgment This study was support by Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai, China (No. 06ZR14137).