Sex- and age-related response to aromatase deficiency in bone

Deficiency of sex steroids causes osteoporosis, but the relationship between estrogen and androgen is not clear because androgen is converted into estrogen by aromatase. In this study, we characterized bone metabolism in the aromatase-deficient (ArKO) mouse. At 9 weeks old, a marked loss of cancellous bone due to increased bone resorption was observed not only in female ArKO mice but also in males. The degree of bone loss in ArKO males was similar to that in females, and treatment with 17 beta -estradiol completely restored the bone mass in both sexes. At 32 weeks old, female ArKO mice showed severe loss of cancellous and cortical bone. Male ArKO mice df this age also showed reduced bone mass, but the degree of bone loss in females was more marked than that in males. Here, we report sex- and age-related responses to aromatase deficiency in bone. (C) 2001 Academic Press.