Influence of blinding, olfactory bulbectomy and pinealectomy on plasma prolactin levels in the neonatally androgenized female rat.
Female rats were neonatally androgenized (NA) by administering 1.25 mg of testosterone propionate at 3 days of age. At 21-23 days of age, groups of 12 animals each were blinded (BLD), olfactory bulbectomized (ANOS) and pinealectomized (PX) either alone or in combination. At 11 weeks of age all animals were ovariectomized, implanted with atrial catheters and given 0.5 mg polyestradiol phosphate. At 12 weeks of age, animals were attached to catheter extensions and blood samples obtained at 09.00, 11.00, 13.00, 15.00, 17.00, 19.00 and 21.00 h. The plasma prolactin (PRL) pattern of NA control animals consisted of elevated basal values at 11.00 and 13.00 h with an afternoon peak at 17.00 h. Anosmic and PX animals had a PRL pattern similar to that of the control. Animals BLD or BLD + ANOS had significantly lower plasma PRL values than sham-operated animals. Animals BLD + PX had PRL values comparable to PX alone. The diurnal PRL pattern observed for NA control animals was still evident in all experimental animals. Blinding + ANOS resulted in a significant decrease in ovarian and oviductal weights and attenuated the estrogen-induced increase in uterine weight. The evidence indicated that the elevated morning PRL levels observed in NA rats was not due to an altered function of the pineal gland and that BLD + ANOS blunted the action of exogenous estrogen on uterine weight.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001766:Blindness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002369:Castration; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size; D010053:Ovary / Q000254:growth & development; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000254:growth & development
D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin