title: Chronic ethanol ingestion during puberty alters the transient increase in testicular 5 alpha-reductase in the Swiss-Webster mouse.
abstract: Previous experiments with inbred mice showed that chronic ethanol treatment delays male pubertal development. An initial event in sexual maturation in the rat is a transient increase in 5 alpha-reductase. The present study was conducted to determine whether similar ethanol effects occur in outbred mice (Swiss-Webster), to determine the ontological profile of testicular 5 alpha-reductase in the mouse, and to evaluate the effect of ethanol treatment on this enzyme. After 29 days of treatment with a liquid diet (beginning at age 20 days), reductions in the ethanol-treated mice as compared with the controls were noted in testicular weight (55.0 +/- 2.0 vs. 63.0 +/- 2.4 mg; P less than 0.01), epididymal sperm content (6.8 X 10(5) vs. 14.4 X 10(5); P less than 0.05), and sperm motility (45% vs. 57%; P less than 0.05). After 43 days, differences no longer existed. In chow-fed mice, a substantial rise in 5 alpha-reductase (1 unit = 1 pmole DHT formed/45 min/mg testis) began at age 24 days. Activity peaked at approximately 65 units at 25 to 30 days and gradually declined to 6.4 +/- 0.8 units at 63 days. After 29 days treatment, 5 alpha-reductase of the pair-fed control group was 26.8 +/- 4.9 units, which decreased to a baseline value of 7.0 +/- 2.1 units after 43 days treatment. In contrast, 5 alpha-reductase of the ethanol-treated group remained at baseline levels after 29 days (7.7 +/- 2.3 units) and 43 days of treatment (7.6 +/- 2.3 units).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zaneveld
mesh_terms: D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000187:drug effects; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase