Estrogen augmented visceral pain and colonic neuron modulation in a double-hit model of prenatal and adult stress

Figure 3 Effects of chronic prenatal stress, chronic adult stress, ovariectomy, and letrozole treatment on plasma estrogen levels in female rats. A: Plasma estrogen level in control and chronic prenatal stress (CPS) rats by estrus cycle phase (n = 8 rats, one-way ANOVA, ^aP < 0.05 vs control proestrus/estrus (P-E) phase; ^bP < 0.05 vs CPS diestrus (D) phase); B: Plasma estrogen levels increased in CPS rats and following chronic adult stress (CAS) 24 h after the last adult stressor (n = 8 rats, one-way ANOVA, ^aP < 0.05 vs control; ^bP < 0.05 vs CPS); C: Ovariectomy (OVX) significantly reduced CPS female rat plasma estrogen levels before and after CAS (n = 5 rats, one-way ANOVA, ^aP < 0.05 vs sham group); D: Letrozole treatment significantly reduced CPS female rat plasma estrogen levels before or after CAS (n = 5 rats, one-way ANOVA, ^aP < 0.05 vs vehicle group; ^cP < 0.0001); E: Plasma norepinephrine levels from control, CAS, CPS and CPS + CAS group female rats (n = 5 rats, one-way ANOVA, ^aP < 0.05 vs control; ^bP < 0.05 vs CPS); F: Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels from control and CPS + CAS group female rats (n = 5 rats, t-test, ^aP < 0.05 vs control).