title: Effects of cyclosporine on ovarian function in sham-operated and pituitary-grafted young female rats.
abstract: Effects of cyclosporine (CyA) on ovarian function and the possible role of prolactin in mediating these effects were examined in young female rats. The animals were sham-operated or rendered hyperprolactinemic by transplanting pituitary glands under the renal capsule. Cyclosporine prevented the increase in plasma prolactin levels in grafted rats. However, in sham-operated animals plasma prolactin levels were increased after 8 days of CyA treatment. Plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were reduced 8 days after pituitary grafting and increased by CyA at both Day 2 and Day 8 of treatment. The content of LHRH in the hypothalamus was not affected on Day 2 but was reduced on Day 8 after grafting on CyA therapy. Plasma estradiol levels were increased by CyA in sham-operated rats on Day 2 and 8 of treatment, and in pituitary-grafted rats on Day 8 of therapy. In sham-operated rats, ovarian estradiol content was reduced after 2 and after 8 days of CyA administration. In pituitary-grafted rats, the ovarian estradiol content was suppressed after 8 days, and CyA treatment prevented this effect. Ovarian estradiol release in vitro under basal conditions was greater in ovaries derived from 38-day-old than in those from 32-day-old animals. The ovarian estradiol response to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in vitro was increased 2 days after pituitary transplantation. Administration of CyA for 8 days increased basal and hCG-stimulated estradiol release in both sham-operated and pituitary-grafted animals. The present findings suggest that CyA can alter ovarian function by acting directly at the gonadal level. However, a hypothalamic-hypophyseal site of action cannot be ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Esquifino
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agrasal
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Villanúa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol; D016572:Cyclosporine; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone