Testosterone enhances aggression of wild-type mice but not those deficient in type I 5alpha-reductase.
Testosterone's (T) aggression-enhancing effects may be mediated in part by its 5alpha-reduced, 3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenized metabolite 5alpha-androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol (3alpha-diol). To test this hypothesis, in Expt. 1 gonadectomized (gdx) C21 mice were administered T, 3alpha-diol, or vehicle and were observed in the resident intruder test of aggression 1 h later. C21 mice administered androgens had significantly higher incidences of aggression than did vehicle-administered mice. In Expt. 2, wild-type mice and mice deficient in the 5alpha-reductase type I enzyme were administered T or vehicle and tested 1 h later in the resident intruder paradigm. Wild-type mice administered T had significantly shorter latencies and greater incidences of aggression than did 5alpha-reductase type I knockout mice administered T or vehicle-administered mice. Data from Expt. 1 are consistent with T and 3alpha-diol having similar aggression-enhancing effects, and results of Expt. 2 suggest that the inability to metabolize T to its 5alpha-reduced products may attenuate some aggression-enhancing effects of mice in the resident intruder test of aggression.
Frye
Cheryl A
CA
Department of Psychology, The University at Albany-SUNY, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA. cafrye@cnsunix.albany.edu
Rhodes
Madeline E
ME
Walf
Alicia
A
Harney
Jacob P
JP
D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012919:Social Behavior; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol; D013739:Testosterone; D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase