Morphofunctional study of the effects of fetal exposure to cyproterone acetate on the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis of adult rats
Details
Serval ID
serval:BIB_E12377C82285
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Morphofunctional study of the effects of fetal exposure to cyproterone acetate on the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis of adult rats
Journal
Experimental Brain Research
ISSN
0014-4819
Publication state
Published
Issued date
1991
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
83
Number
2
Pages
349-56
Notes
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Abstract
Fetal exposure to cyproterone acetate (CPA), while allowing, normal sexual morphogenesis, has previously been shown to lead to functional endocrine abnormalities in adult rats of both sexes. Because of this, we examined morphologically and morphometrically the hypothalamic nuclei involved in sexual dimorphism as well as the pituitary lactotropes of rats exposed in utero from day 15 to 20 of gestation to CPA. Male and female offspring was studied at the age of 70-80 days. In both sexes the brain weight was lower (p less than 0.05) in CPA-treated than in control rats. Morphometrical investigations showed that the surface density (Sv) and the volume density (Vv) of the ventromedial nucleus were higher (p less than 0.05) in CPA-treated male than in control rats. By comparing sexes the Sv and Vv of the ventromedial nucleus were higher (p less than 0.01) in CPA-treated male than in corresponding female rats. Also the nuclear surface of the tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons of the arcuate nucleus was higher (p less than 0.05) in CPA-treated male than in female rats. In lactotropes of the pituitary gland the immunoreactive prolactin (PRL) was densitometrically increased (p less than 0.05) in CPA-treated female compared with control rats. By electron microscopy, PRL granules and autophagocytosis appeared to be more abundant in CPA-treated rats of both sexes. These data show that fetal exposure to CPA results in long-term anatomical and physiological alterations of hypothalamic and preoptic nuclei as well as of the pituitary lactotropes. These permanent changes support the functional endocrine abnormalities observed in adult rats.
Keywords
Androgen Antagonists/*pharmacology
Animals
Cyproterone/*analogs & derivatives/pharmacology
Cyproterone Acetate
Densitometry
Female
Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood
Gonads/anatomy & histology/*drug effects/growth & development
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/anatomy & histology/*drug effects/growth &
development
Hypothalamus/cytology/physiology
Luteinizing Hormone/blood
Male
Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/cytology/physiology
Pituitary Gland/cytology/physiology
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
Preoptic Area/cytology/physiology
Prolactin/blood
Rats
Sex Characteristics
Sex Factors
Stereotaxic Techniques
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus/cytology/physiology
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/immunology/metabolism
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
11/02/2008 15:12
Last modification date
20/08/2019 17:05