The Hypophyseal-Adrenal Axis in the Protein-Calorie Malnourished Rat

Summary

Male rats were fed an 8 % low protein diet for 30 consecutive days beginning at 20 days of age. On day 50, the effect of the diet was evaluated on the hypophyseal-adrenal axis and the observations compared with those noted in age-matched controls fed a standard laboratory diet. The malnourished animals had significantly larger adrenal gland weights, relative to body size, and higher levels of serum corticosterone. Additionally, the number of ACTH-secreting cells in the pituitary glands of these rats was 63.8 % greater than that present in the controls. These results suggest that ACTH secretion and adrenocortical physiology are stimulated under conditions of experimentally induced protein-calorie malnutrition.

Key-Words:

Protein-Calorie Malnutrition - Serum Corticosterone - Pituitary Immunocytochemistry - ACTH