Res. exp. Med. 165, 55--59 (1975) © by Springer-Verlag 1975
Effects of Experimental Bilateral Cryptorchidism and Castration on the Plasma Gonadotropins in Male Rats during Sexual Maturation K . R a g e r , J. Zarzycki*, M. Eichner, a n d D. G u p t a Abteilung fiir diagnostisehe Endokrinologie (Prof. Dr. D. Gupta) der Universitiits-Kinderklinik Tiibingen (Prof. Dr. J. R. Bierich) Received July 24, 1974
Summary. The effect of bilateral eryptorchidism and castration on serum LH and FSH was assessed in rats throughout their sexual maturation. After short time (4 days) castration marked elevations of FSH and increases of LH in plasma are recorded in all developmental stages. Bilateral cryptorehidism caused after 4 days in different age groups elevations of LH regardless of the sexual maturation. FSH was elevated in these erypterehid animals only in more mature animals. Key words:Gonadotropins - - Sexual maturation - - Cryptorchidism - - Castration.
T h e h o r m o n a l a c t i v i t y of t h e testes is p r i m a r i l y u n d e r t h e control of t h e p i t u i t a r y g o n a d o t r o p i n s in a d u l t life. T h e g o n a d s p r o d u c e steroid h o r m o n e s which are r e g u l a t o r s o f t h e p i t u i t a r y g o n a d o t r o p i n secretion. I t has been shown, t h a t imm a t u r e g o n a d s [9] a n d p i t u i t a r y [4] are responsive t o s t i m u l a t i o n . T h e existence of a d y n a m i c p i t u i t a r y - g o n a d a l control s y s t e m prior to p u b e r t y has been demons t r a t e d [3, 7]. The s t u d y r e p o r t e d here, deals w i t h t h e e s t i m a t i o n of L H a n d F S H t h r o u g h o u t sexual m a t u r a t i o n in r a t s a n d t h e effect of c a s t r a t i o n a n d b i l a t e r a l c r y p t o r c h i d i s m on t h e g o n a d o t r o p i n s a t similar d e v e l o p m e n t a l stages.
Material and Methods
Intact Animals Prepubertal male Wistar rats (Ivanovac strain, Kisslegg, Germany) were used starting with the age of 16 days. Till the age of 90 days 6--10 animals were sacrificed in each studied group and the blood taken by cardiac puncture.
Experimental Bilateral Cryptorchidism Animals of the above strain at the ages 16, 36, 56, 66 and 86 days were operated by drawing both testes through the inguinal canal into abdomen and suturing to the abdominal wall after severing the gubernaculum. Till the age of 40 days 10 animals in each group were taken, after age 40 days 6 rats per group. The animals were sacrificed after 4 days and blood collected. * Humboldt Fellow. Present address: II. Paediatric Clinic, Lodz, Sporna Str. 36/50, Poland.
56
K. Rager et al.
Thus the animals were 20, 40, 60, 70 a n d 90 days old respectively when the animals were utilized.
Orchidectomized Animals 5 groups of animals a t similar ages a n d of similar population size as above were used for orchidectomy. The animals were sacrificed again 4 days later, a n d blood collected. After the collection of blood, the samples were centrifuged a n d the plasmas stored a t - - 2 0 ° C . 4 - - 5 estimations were carried out from each plasma for r a t L H and r a t FSH.
Radioimmunoassay o/Rat LH and Rat FSH Serum F S H a n d L H were measured b y radioimmunoassay. The antisera, purified hormones for iodination and standard references preparations were obtained from the NIAMDD, R a t P i t u i t a r y Distribution Program. "Second a n t i b o d y " was anti-rabbit g a m m a globulin (Wellcome). The iodidination of purified r a t L H and F S H was done according to the method of Greenwood et al. [2]. I n each assay a triplicate s t a n d a r d curve for r a t L H or F S H was run. The results are expressed in ng/ml N I A M D D - R a t LH-RP-1, respectively in ng/ml NIAMDDR a t FSH-RP-1.
Result 1. A. Plasma LH Levels during Sexual Maturation LH was estimated each day during the age group of 16 days until 40 days, later on at the depicted ages (Fig. 1). Each point of the curve represents the mean
",
• NORMALS " - - - - , C R Y P T O R C H I D
• ......... ,CASTRATED
300 -
2OO
"
Effects of Experimental Bilateral Cryptorchidism and Castration on the Plasma Gonadotropins in Male Rats during Sexual Maturation K . R a g e r , J. Zarzycki*, M. Eichner, a n d D. G u p t a Abteilung fiir diagnostisehe Endokrinologie (Prof. Dr. D. Gupta) der Universitiits-Kinderklinik Tiibingen (Prof. Dr. J. R. Bierich) Received July 24, 1974
Summary. The effect of bilateral eryptorchidism and castration on serum LH and FSH was assessed in rats throughout their sexual maturation. After short time (4 days) castration marked elevations of FSH and increases of LH in plasma are recorded in all developmental stages. Bilateral cryptorehidism caused after 4 days in different age groups elevations of LH regardless of the sexual maturation. FSH was elevated in these erypterehid animals only in more mature animals. Key words:Gonadotropins - - Sexual maturation - - Cryptorchidism - - Castration.
T h e h o r m o n a l a c t i v i t y of t h e testes is p r i m a r i l y u n d e r t h e control of t h e p i t u i t a r y g o n a d o t r o p i n s in a d u l t life. T h e g o n a d s p r o d u c e steroid h o r m o n e s which are r e g u l a t o r s o f t h e p i t u i t a r y g o n a d o t r o p i n secretion. I t has been shown, t h a t imm a t u r e g o n a d s [9] a n d p i t u i t a r y [4] are responsive t o s t i m u l a t i o n . T h e existence of a d y n a m i c p i t u i t a r y - g o n a d a l control s y s t e m prior to p u b e r t y has been demons t r a t e d [3, 7]. The s t u d y r e p o r t e d here, deals w i t h t h e e s t i m a t i o n of L H a n d F S H t h r o u g h o u t sexual m a t u r a t i o n in r a t s a n d t h e effect of c a s t r a t i o n a n d b i l a t e r a l c r y p t o r c h i d i s m on t h e g o n a d o t r o p i n s a t similar d e v e l o p m e n t a l stages.
Material and Methods
Intact Animals Prepubertal male Wistar rats (Ivanovac strain, Kisslegg, Germany) were used starting with the age of 16 days. Till the age of 90 days 6--10 animals were sacrificed in each studied group and the blood taken by cardiac puncture.
Experimental Bilateral Cryptorchidism Animals of the above strain at the ages 16, 36, 56, 66 and 86 days were operated by drawing both testes through the inguinal canal into abdomen and suturing to the abdominal wall after severing the gubernaculum. Till the age of 40 days 10 animals in each group were taken, after age 40 days 6 rats per group. The animals were sacrificed after 4 days and blood collected. * Humboldt Fellow. Present address: II. Paediatric Clinic, Lodz, Sporna Str. 36/50, Poland.
56
K. Rager et al.
Thus the animals were 20, 40, 60, 70 a n d 90 days old respectively when the animals were utilized.
Orchidectomized Animals 5 groups of animals a t similar ages a n d of similar population size as above were used for orchidectomy. The animals were sacrificed again 4 days later, a n d blood collected. After the collection of blood, the samples were centrifuged a n d the plasmas stored a t - - 2 0 ° C . 4 - - 5 estimations were carried out from each plasma for r a t L H and r a t FSH.
Radioimmunoassay o/Rat LH and Rat FSH Serum F S H a n d L H were measured b y radioimmunoassay. The antisera, purified hormones for iodination and standard references preparations were obtained from the NIAMDD, R a t P i t u i t a r y Distribution Program. "Second a n t i b o d y " was anti-rabbit g a m m a globulin (Wellcome). The iodidination of purified r a t L H and F S H was done according to the method of Greenwood et al. [2]. I n each assay a triplicate s t a n d a r d curve for r a t L H or F S H was run. The results are expressed in ng/ml N I A M D D - R a t LH-RP-1, respectively in ng/ml NIAMDDR a t FSH-RP-1.
Result 1. A. Plasma LH Levels during Sexual Maturation LH was estimated each day during the age group of 16 days until 40 days, later on at the depicted ages (Fig. 1). Each point of the curve represents the mean
",
• NORMALS " - - - - , C R Y P T O R C H I D
• ......... ,CASTRATED
300 -
2OO
"
