Fig. 4

Changes of estradiol synthesis function in fetal ovary induced by prenatal prednisone exposure (PPE) with different doses or at different time. (A, H) Blood estradiol levels by ELISA; (B, I) Ovarian endogenous estradiol levels by ELISA (n = 6); (C-G, J-N) mRNA expression of SF1, StAR, P450scc, 3β-HSD1, and CYP19 at different doses/times (n = 12). Mean ± S.E.M., ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01 vs. control. GAPDH, glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase; SF1, splicing factor 1; StAR, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein; P450scc, cytochrome P450 cholesterol side chain cleavage; 3β-HSD1, 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1; CYP19, cytochrome P450 family 19; C1, control of PH; PL, prednisone low-dose exposure; PH, prednisone high-dose exposure; C2, control of PE; PE, prednisone early high-dose exposure; C3, control of PT; PT, prednisone terminal high-dose exposure