Influence of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone on bone-matrix induced endochondral bone formation

A bone matrix-induced endochondral bone development model has been used to study the effects of androgens on different stages of bone development in castrated young adult rats. Androgen treatment, especially with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) for 7 days, inhibited 35SO4 incorporation by the developing cartilage in the induced plaques. Castrated control animals maintained for 11 days after implantation of bone matrix showed significantly lower calcium levels in the induced implant than was observed earlier in the unoperated controls. DHT treatment for 11 days caused dramatic increases in levels of calcium in the implants. Testosterone had little effect. When androgen treatment was continued for 21 days, while levels of alkaline phosphatase in the implants were unaffected, levels of calcium in the implants were significantly higher than on day 11 for both castrated control and androgen-treated animals. Peak alkaline phosphatase activity (day 10) is known to precede peak calcium mineralizing activity (day 12) in this model and it is also known that calcium levels remain high thereafter. Evaluation of calcium and alkaline phosphatase levels in the proximal tibial metaphyses of castrated control and androgen-treated groups of animals showed no changes after 11 days treatment. Prolonged treatment (21 days) elevated the levels of alkaline phosphatase whereas no change was observed in calcium levels in the tibial metaphyses. These findings demonstrate that androgens stimulate mineralization and that DHT is more active when used for short periods of time and in early stages of bone development in matrix-induced implants.