Testosterone control of brain and anterior pituitary beta-adrenergic receptors.
Orchidectomy of adult albino rats resulted in a quick, (approximately 70%) increase in the density of beta-adrenergic receptors in the anterior pituitary gland within the first day. There was a concurrent rapid increase in plasma levels of pituitary gonadotropins. The beta-receptor density continued to increase slowly for at least 16 days after castration, but it could be lowered significantly to the levels of sham-operated animals by treatment with testosterone (3 mg/kg/day) beginning on the fourth day after castration and continuing for 4 days. This treatment also completely reversed the elevation in plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), and significantly reduced the circulating follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. Prolactin levels were not significantly altered by the treatments used in these studies. Most of the beta-adrenergic receptors induced by orchidectomy in the anterior pituitary were shown, using a beta 1-selective antagonist, practolol, or a beta 2-selective antagonist, IPS-339, to be of the beta 2-subtype. The density of the beta-adrenergic receptors in the cerebral cortex also increased significantly (10-24%) after castration, and returned to the levels of sham-operated animals following treatment with testosterone. No significant change in the density of the beta-adrenergic receptors in the hypothalamus resulted from either castration or testosterone replacement.
D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002369:Castration; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone