Effect of sex hormones on blood pressure and vascular connective tissue in castrated and noncastrated male rats.

Aortic collagen and elastin were quantitated in three groups of castrated and two groups of noncastrated male rats treated by intramuscular injection for 3 wk with oil, testosterone, or estradiol. The greatest differences were found between the castrated rats receiving testosterone and those receiving estradiol, the estradiol-treated rats having significantly lower total collagen, percent collagen, total elastin, and collagen/elastin (C/E), and higher percent elastin than those rats receiving testosterone. In noncastrated rats, administration of estradiol resulted in significantly lower total collagen, percent collagen, total elastin, and C/E. Systolic blood pressure was highest in rats receiving testerone and lowest in rats receiving estradiol. It is concluded that 1) estradiol in the presence or absence of testosterone decreases total accumulation of vascular connective tissue and alters the proportions of collagen and elastin so that the vessel is more distensible, 2) testosterone has an opposite but less marked effect than estradiol on vascular connective tissue, and 3) estradiol and testosterone alter blood pressure in opposite directions in the male rat.