title: Sex differences in adrenocortical structure and function. XXVIII. ACTH and corticosterone in intact, gonadectomised and gonadal hormone replaced rats.
abstract: Plasma ACTH and corticosterone (B) concentration, ACTH content in the anterior pituitary gland and B content in the adrenals were measured in intact, gonadectomised and testosterone or estradiol replaced rats. Plasma ACTH and B levels and adrenal B content were higher in female than male rats. Neither orchiectomy nor testosterone replacement had an effect on plasma ACTH and B concentration. Orchiectomy did not affect adrenal B content and decreased pituitary ACTH while testosterone significantly lowered ACTH and B content in studied glands. On the other hand ovariectomy did not change pituitary ACTH and adrenal B content and notably lowered concentrations of these hormones in the blood. Estradiol replacement resulted in an increase in plasma ACTH and B concentrations, an effect accompanied by a marked drop in pituitary ACTH and an increase in adrenal B. These findings indicate the distinct sex differences in basal plasma ACTH and B concentrations with higher values in female rats, an effect dependent on the stimulatory action of estradiol on pituitary-adrenocortical axis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznań Academy of Medicine, Poland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leśniewska
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Malendowicz
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D003348:Cortisone / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003348:Cortisone