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Research articles

ScienceAsia 51 (2023): 1-11 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.2023.074


Comparison between the effects of abrupt and gradual testosterone deficiency on bone quantity and quality in male rats


Thaweechai Saetaea, Sukanya Jaroenporna, Taratorn Fainantab, Suchinda Malaivijitnonda,*

 
ABSTRACT:     Changes in bone quantity and quality in abruptly and gradually testosterone-depleted males were less documented and cause complications in osteoporosis treatment. Four-month-old male SD rats were divided into 2 groups: sham-operated (SH) and orchidectomized (ODX) and euthanized at 9 days, 2, 4, 6, and 8 months after operation. Blood sera were collected for testosterone measurements, 4th lumbar vertebra (L4) and right tibia (metaphysis (TM) and diaphysis (TD)) were collected and measured bone quantity (bone mineral content, BMC) and quality (bone area, cortical thickness and circumferences) on total (total), trabecular (trab) and cortical (cort) compartments using peripheral quantitative computed tomography. In the SH rats, testosterone levels were gradually and significantly decreased by 8 months. In the ODX rats, an abrupt, non-detectable testosterone level was evident at 9 days. For bone changes, only TM (trab-BMC) had a negative correlation with increasing age in the SH rats. In ODX rats, each bone site showed different loss patterns. Significant decreases were detected in L4 (total- and cort-BMCs, cort-area) and TM (trab-BMC). Excluding the effect of aging, age-matched ODX and SH rats were compared. The ODX rats had lower L4?s total- and cort-BMCs and areas, TM?s trab-BMC, and TD?s total- and cort-BMCs, cort-thickness, and periosteal circumference, but larger L4?s trab-area and thicker TM?s cort-area and thickness, than the SH rats. Our study indicates that differences in testosterone deficiency patterns convey different bone (mass and quality) changes depending on sites and compartments. This insight could provide information for preventive and therapeutic strategies on bone in males.

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a Biological Sciences Program, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 Thailand
b Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Rangsit University, Pathum Thani 12000 Thailand

* Corresponding author, E-mail: suchinda.m@chula.ac.th

Received 26 Mar 2025, Accepted 23 Jul 2025