EFFECTS OF OESTROUS CYCLE VARIATIONS AND EXOGENOUS STEROID HORMONES ON THE PRODUCTION AND SECRETION OF CORTICOSTERONE BY THE RAT ADRENAL
ABSTRACT Results with the adrenal gland: A significant difference (P < 0.01) was found between the elevated production of corticosterone in intact rats during dioestrus and the production at oestrus. At both 10 and 20 days after ovariectomy, the production of corticosterone was decreased as compared with the dioestrous rate. Production of corticosterone in adrenals was increased significantly (P < 0.01) by progesterone injection (500 μg/day for 5 days) and was decreased by oestradiol-17β injections 5 μg/day for 5 days). Corticosterone injection (10 μg/day for 5 days) also significantly (P < 0.01) increased the production of corticosterone in adrenals. Results with adrenal vein blood: Secretion of corticosterone of the intact rat at dioestrus was higher than at oestrus, but the difference was not statistically significant. At 10 and 20 days after ovariectomy, the secretion of corticosterone had decreased from the dioestrous level, but statistical significance was found only at 20 days after ovariectomy. Oestradiol-17β treatment (5 μg/day for 5 days) significantly (P < 0.01) decreased the secretion of corticosterone from the adrenal vein. Progesterone treatment (500 μg/day for 5 days) did not significantly affect the secretion of corticosterone into adrenal vein blood. Also, treatment with corticosterone (10 μg/day for 5 days) did not yield statistically significant changes in the secretion of this compound. Additional results: Nembutal anaesthesia in intact male rats significantly decreased the amount of corticosterone in the adrenal gland (P < 0.05). Ether anaesthesia led to a greater variation in adrenal corticosterone than in nonanaesthetized rats. Ovary weights decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the progesteroneinjected group (500 μg/day for 5 days); on the other hand, the oestradiol-17β-injected group (5 μg/day for 10 days) exhibited a significant increase of adrenal weight (P < 0.05), and pituitary weight (P < 0.01) and a decrease of ovary weight (P < 0.05).