Opposite effects of dexamethasone and ACTH on the adrenal cortex response to ethane dimethanesulphonate (EDS).

Recently we have reported that ethane dimethane-sulphonate (EDS), the Leydig cell cytotoxin, caused marked atrophy of the adrenal cortex of adult male rats. The aim of this work was to examine whether a 9-day treatment with dexamethasone (0.25 mg/kg/d) or ACTH (40 IU/kg/d), which started 4 days prior to administration of a single dose of EDS (75 mg/kg), influenced the response of the inner adrenocortical zones to the toxin.

beta-Adrenergic receptor manipulation and acid phosphatase and zinc levels in the ventral prostate of the adult rat.

The influence of 15-day treatments with the beta-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol (120 micrograms/kg/d) or the antagonist propranolol (1.00 mg/kg/d) on acid phosphatase and zinc levels in the ventral prostate was examined in intact rats, rats simultaneously injected with dexamethasone (0.25 mg/kg/d) and animals chemically castrated with a single dose of ethane dimethanesulphonate (75 mg/kg).

Differential effects of chronic propranolol treatment on the phenotypic profile of thymocytes from immature and adult rats.

To elucidate a putative role of beta-adrenoceptors in the modulation of intrathymic T-cell maturation, the expression of major differentiational antigens (CD4/CD8 and TCR alphabeta) on the thymocytes from both immature (aged 21 day at the beginning of the treatment) and adult (aged 75 days at the beginning of treatment) male rats subjected to a 15-day-long propranolol treatment (0.40 mg/100 g/day, s.c.

[The effect of gender on vasomotor function of the vascular endothelium and cardiovascular remodelling during aging].

Introduction: Aging is correlated with decreased endothelial vasomotor influence, increased carotid intima-media thickness and stiffness, increased left ventricular mass index and increased blood pressure [1-3]. However, these changes are not expressed in the same way in both genders [4, 5]. It seems that females are more protected from cardiovascular changes during aging compared to males [1, 6].

The influence of dexamethasone treatment of pregnant rats on the development of chromaffin tissue in their offspring during the fetal and neonatal period.

The aim of these examinations was to determine the influence of dexamethasone (Dx)-treatment of gravid females, on day 16 of gestation on the development of medullary chromaffin tissue of their fetuses and neonatal offspring. In conducting these investigations we used stereological as well as spectrofluorimetric measurements, in 20-day-old fetuses and 1-, 3-, 5-, 7-, 9-, 11-, 13- and 14-day-old neonatal rats. Single Dx-treatment (1.

Treatment of pregnant females with dexamethasone influences postnatal development of the adrenal medulla.

In the light of the mutual dependence between the adrenal cortex and medulla, the aim of this work was to examine whether glucocorticoid treatment of pregnant rats affects the development of the adrenal medulla of their offspring in the postnatal period. Pregnant rats were treated with dexamethasone (Dx) in a daily dose of 0.3 mg Dx/kg b.

Ventral prostate structure and serum testosterone levels after chronic treatment with isoproterenol in adult rats with different androgen status.

The effects of chronic administration of the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (ISO) (120 microg/kg per day; subcutaneously) on the ventral prostate structure and serum testosterone concentrations were examined in adult rats with different androgen status: intact, intact testosterone-injected (1 mg/rat), surgically and chemically castrated rats. Chemical castration was evoked by an intraperitoneal injection of ethane dimethanesulfonate (EDS) (75 mg/kg). A ventral prostate response was only observed in intact and chemically castrated animals.

The influence of prolonged dexamethasone treatment of pregnant rats on the perinatal development of the adrenal gland of their offspring.

The effects of prolonged dexamethasone (Dx) administration to pregnant rats on the structure and function of the adrenal glands of fetal and neonatal offspring have been investigated by combined stereological and ultrastructural methods, as well as by metaphase index determination. Pregnant rats were injected subcutaneously with Dx (0.3 mg/kg body weight/day) during 5 days, starting from day 16 of gestation.

Effects of ethane dimethanesulfonate on the structure of adult male rat adrenal cortex.

The influence of ethane dimethanesulfonate (EDS), a specific toxicant for Leydig cells, on the morphometric characteristic of adult male rat adrenal cortex was examined on day 15 after administration. As expected, the dose of 75 mg kg-1 of EDS produced drastic reduction in serum testosterone levels followed by a decrease in testis and seminal vesicle weight. However, a considerable drop (over 50%) in adrenal weight was also found.

Propranolol treatment affects ventral prostate blood vessels and serum testosterone concentrations in adult rats.

The influence of prolonged beta-adrenergic receptor blockade on stereologic parameters of the ventral prostate and serum testosterone concentrations was examined in adult rats injected with propranolol (0.1 or 0.4 mg kg-1/day) for 15 or 30 consecutive days.

Altered gonadal hormone level and constant light-induced stress interfere with the response of the adrenal medulla to oxytocin.

The effect of oxytocin (0.25 IU/100 g per day) on the adrenal medulla was examined in intact, intact estrogen-treated, castrated and castrated testosterone-treated adult male Wistar rats. Stereological analysis of the gland (N = 5 rats per group) revealed that in intact animals the number of chromaffin cells (x10(3)) was significantly increased after 3-day (saline: 467.

The effect of dexamethasone on the adrenal gland in fetal and neonatal rats.

The development and regeneration of the adrenal glands were examined by stereological and morphological methods in 20-day-old fetal, as well as 3-day- and 14-day-old neonatal male rats born to dams treated with dexamethasone (Dx) on day 16 of gestation. In the fetuses and 3-day-old rats, zona fasciculata (ZF) and zona reticularis (ZR) were analyzed as one inner zone (IZ), while in 14-day-old animals they were analyzed separately. Single Dx treatment (1.

Rat accessory sex glands response to oxytocin under different light regimens.

Effects of oxytocin (0.25 IU OT/100 g/d for 3 days) on accessory sex glands structure and catecholamine content were examined in rats kept on two different light regimens. In 12 h light/12 h dark conditions ventral prostate responded to OT by a regression of the epithelial component and an increase in dopamine content.

Mitotic activity and cell deletion in ventral prostate epithelium of intact and castrated oxytocin-treated rats.

Previous study has shown that oxytocin (OT) attenuated the postcastration regression of ventral prostate epithelium in rats. To decide if this effect is associated with stimulation of cell division or improvement of cell survival, metaphase index of secretory cells and frequency of apoptotic bodies in the epithelium, combined with stereological parameters, were determined in the present study. OT was injected subcutaneously in a dose of 0.

The response of rat adrenal zona fasciculata and zona reticularis to oxytocin treatment.

The response of the adrenal zona fasciculata (ZF) and zona reticularis (ZR) to oxytocin (OT) was examined in male rats using a stereological method. The 10-day administration of 0.25 IU OT/100 g daily caused an enlargement of ZF due to cell hypertrophy associated with striking lipid accumulation.

Stereologic analysis of ventral prostate of oxytocin-treated rats.

Ventral prostate response to oxytocin (OT) was examined in intact and castrated adult rats. The treatment consisted of 10 daily subcutaneous injections of 0.25 IU OT per 100 g body weight, which for orchiectomized rats began immediately after surgery.

The response of rat adrenal medulla to oxytocin.

Effects of oxytocin (OT) on the adrenal chromaffin tissue of male rats were examined by coupled morphometric and biochemical techniques. Synthetic OT was administered in doses of 0.14 and 0.