Male sex hormone and nephropathy in Cohen diabetic rat. (Genetically selected sucrose fed).

In the Cohen diabetic rat (genetically-selected sucrose fed) ovariectomy caused a significant decrease in the incidence of nephropathy, from 52% in the unovariectomized, to 16% in the ovariectomized rat, [X2 (d.f. = 1) = 7.21905 P/0.01]. Testosterone administration to the ovariectomized diabetic animal resulted in a significantly increased incidence of nephropathy, from 16 to 92% [X2 (d.f. = 1) = 28.04427 P/0.01]. This change in incidence of nephropathy was directly correlated with a corresponding decrease or increase in the plasma oestradiol levels (in the ovariectomized and in the ovariectomized-testosterone treated diabetic animals, respectively). No such correlation was found with carbohydrate metabolism disturbances (as demonstrated by spontaneous blood glucose and spontaneous insulin) or with plasma testosterone levels.