Anesthetic pregnanes counteract androgen-induced defeminization

The capacity of various pregnanes for counteracting androgen-induced defeminization was evaluated in an attempt to define some cellular mechanisms involved in the defeminization process. 5-day-old female rats received 60 microgram testosterone propionate (TP) along with one of various pregnanes: progesterone, 5 beta-pregnandione, 5 beta, 3 alpha-pregnanolone, 5 beta, 3 beta-pregnanolone, 5 alpha-pregnandione, 5 alpha, 3 beta-pregnanolone, 5 alpha, 3 alpha-pregnanolone or chlormadinone acetate. Protection against defeminization was defined as a significantly smaller proportion of anovulatory animals in a group compared to the control TP group. Data were analyzed at 60, 90 and 120 days of age. The anesthetic potency of the pregnanes was evaluated in 5-day-old male rats through the analysis of EEG and EMG records. Anesthetic pregnanes - progesterone, 5 beta-pregnandione and 5 beta, 3 alpha-pregnanolone - counteracted defeminization while nonanesthetic pregnanes - 5 alpha-pregnanes, chlormadinone acetate and 5 beta, 3 beta-pregnanolone - did not. The results show a clear relation between anesthetic capacity and protection against defeminization.