Abstract
Male rats, maintained under controlled environmental conditions with 14 h of light daily, were orchiectomized or sham-operated on the 21st day and sacrificed on the 42nd day of life. Melatonin (200 μg) or diluent (2% ethanol) was administered i.p. daily from the 21st through the 41st days of life to groups of intact and castrated animals. Pituitary and serum LH and FSH were measured by double antibody radioimmuno-assays. In diluent treated-orchiectomized rats the pituitary weight, pituitary LH content and concentration and serum LH and FSH levels were significantly (p < 0.01) higher and the pituitary FSH concentration was significantly (<0.01) lower than in diluent treated intact animals. The adimistration of melatonin to intact animals was associated with significantly (p < 0.05) decreased pituitary LH content and testicular weight, but was without effect upon pituitary FSH content or upon serum LH and FSH concentrations. The administration of melatonin to orchiectomized animals was without apparent effect. It is concluded that under the conditions of the present experiment; (1) there is increased secretion of LH and FSH following castration of the juvenile male rat; (2) melatonin may suppress LH synthesis in intact animals; (3) melatonin is unable to suppress LH secretion in castrated 21 day male rats; (4) melatonin does not effect FSH secretion in either intact or orchiectomized juvenile rats.
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Root, A., Russ, R. Effects of Castration and 5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine (Melatonin) Upon Luteinizing (LH) and Follicle Stimulating (FSH) Hormones in 21-day Male Rats. Pediatr Res 4, 456 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197009000-00088
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197009000-00088
