Evidence of a role for retinoic acid (vitamin A-acid) in the maintenance of testosterone production in male rats.
Animals maintained on retinol (vitamin A-alcohol)-deficient diets exhibit testicular atrophy and loss of the germinal epithelium. Retinoic acid (vitamin A-acid), when fed to retinol-deficient animals, does not prevent these lesions and had thus been thought not to play a role in the tests. Serum testosterone (T) levels, determined by RIA, in retinol-deficient rats were determined to be significantly lower than in control rats. In contrast, retinoic acid-fed, retinol-deficient rats exhibited serum T concentrations similar to those of control rats. No difference in immunoreactive serum LH levels was observed in the three groups. The response of serum T to ip administration of LH in retinol-deficient animals relative to basal levels was similar to that observed in control as well as retinoic acid-fed, retinol-deficient rats. These results show that while basal T production in retinol-depleted rats is decreased, LH-stimulated T synthesis is unaffected. Furthermore, retinoic acid, in the absence of retinol, can support T production, suggesting that contrary to present dogma, retinoic acid plays a role in testis.
D000818:Animals; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood
D013739:Testosterone; D014212:Tretinoin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone