Testosterone reduces cumulative burying in female Wistar rats with minimal participation of estradiol.
Testosterone exerts anxiolytic effects, but the participation of its aromatase metabolic product estradiol is controversial. Therefore, we used the defensive burying paradigm in female Wistar rats to explore testosterone's (1.0 mg/rat, s.c.) interactions with picrotoxin (a noncompetitive gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor [GABA(A)] antagonist; 1.0 mg/kg, i.p.), formestane (an aromatase inhibitor; 3.0 mg/rat, s.c.), and tamoxifen (an estrogen receptor-beta antagonist; 1.0 mg/kg, s.c.). Serum levels of testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone were determined in the same rats. Burying latency and locomotion did not significantly change. Systemic testosterone administration enhanced serum testosterone and estradiol levels and reduced defensive burying. This reduction in total burying was blocked by pretreatment with picrotoxin and tamoxifen, but not formestane. We conclude that testosterone produced anxiolytic-like effects in female rats that were mediated by actions at the GABA(A) receptor, with participation of the estradiol receptor-beta, rather than estradiol aromatization.
Gutiérrez-García
Ana G
AG
Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Veracruzana, Manantial de San Cristóbal-Xalapa 2000, Xalapa 91097, Veracruz, México.
Contreras
Carlos M
CM
Vásquez-Hernández
Diana I
DI
Molina-Jiménez
Tania
T
Jacome-Jacome
Emma
E
D000735:Androstenedione / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000502:physiology*; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010852:Picrotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000735:Androstenedione; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D004958:Estradiol; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D010852:Picrotoxin; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D013629:Tamoxifen; D013739:Testosterone; C014594:formestane