Endocrine interaction of the thymus with the hypohysis, adrenals and testes: effects of two thymic extracts.
The concentration of ACTH, corticosterone, LH and testosterone in the plasma of rats have been measured in normal, thymectomized and sham-operated rats. A group of rats, thymectomized at birth, received two i.p. injections weekly of two thymic extracts, each prepared in a separate way. Neonatal thymectomy was followed by the appearance of a transitory wasting disease during which a hormonal unbalance was manifest. Plasma corticosterone and ACTH levels increased at first at 30 days after thymectomy and then decreased at 60 days. The levels of the different hormones returned to normal by 90 days. The injections of thymic extracts rectified all these perturbations. The plasma levels of testosterone and corticosterone of hypophysectomized rats were compared to those of hypophysectomized and thymectomized animals. Results suggested that the thymus has a direct action of the adrenal cortex and in indirect action on the testes. The indirect effect is probably mediated through the hypophysis.
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002417:Cattle; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology
D013951:Thymus Hormones; D013739:Testosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone