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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 1992; 99(1): 49-53
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1211132
Original

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

A Delayed Response to Acute Stimulation with Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Scorbutic Rats

Y. Ito1 , M. Tsuji1 , M. Miyano1 , K. Wakabayashi2 , H. Mori1
  • 1Department of Pathology (Director: Prof. Dr. H. Mori), Osaka Medical College, Gunma University, Maebashi/Japan
  • 2Department of Pathology Takatsuki/Japan and Institute of Endocrinology, (Director: Prof. Dr. K. Wakabayashi), Gunma University, Maebashi/Japan
Further Information

Publication History

1991

Publication Date:
15 July 2009 (online)

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Summary

Since our previous study revealed low basal testosterone (T) levels and a failure in response to an acute stimulation with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) despite of a good response to chronic stimulation in scorbutic mutant rats, time course of the response to HCG was studied and plasma LH level was measured in young adult rats deficient in ascorbic acid for 3 weeks. A single subcutaneous injection of HCG (200 IU) elevated T levels only slightly in plasma and not in testicular tissues of scorbutic rats 1 h after the injection when the levels in ascorbutic rats reached a maximum, while it yielded the same response pattern as in ascorbutic rats after 3 h. A pretreatment with HCG to scorbutic rats for 1 or 4 days resulted in the same response of plasma T as in ascorbutic rats. Plasma LH levels in unstimulated scorbutic rats were about 40% of those in ascorbuticrats. These findings indicate that a prolonged deficiency of ascorbic acid decreases plasma LH, and may reduce the sensitivity of testes to LH.

Key words

Testosterone - LH/hCG - Scurvy - Ascorbic acid - ODS rats

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