Cholinergic responses of seminal vesicles isolated from rats exposed perinatally to hydrocortisone.
This study was performed in order to investigate the cholinomimetic response of seminal vesicles isolated from rats treated with hydrocortisone acetate during perinatal life. At the adult phase, the body weight and the wet weight of the seminal vesicle of these animals were unchanged. However, these male rats exhibited a significant reduction in plasma testosterone concentration. A significant increase in the sensitivity of the seminal vesicle to acetylcholine was also observed. Despite this, there was a significant reduction in the maximum contractile response of the organ to this transmitter. These results indicate that exposure to hydrocortisone during the critical period of brain sexual differentiation has a long-term effect on testosterone production of male rats. In addition, physiological levels of cortisone in perinatal life are also essential to support the contractile response pattern of the seminal vesicle to acetylcholine in adult life, probably crucial to the reproductive process.
Pereira
O C M
OC
Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences-São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, 18 618-000, São Paulo, Brazil. pereira@ibb.unesp.br
Yasuhara
F
F
Arena
A C
AC
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000187:drug effects*; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D013739:Testosterone; D000109:Acetylcholine; D006854:Hydrocortisone