Estrous cycle delay and inhibition of gonadotropin and prolactin release during sympathetic nerve degeneration after superior cervical ganglionectomy of rats

Neuroendocrinology
D P CardinaliJ A Moguilevsky

Abstract

The changes in the activity of the pituitary-gonadal axis during sympathetic nerve degeneration after superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCGx) were examined in female rats. In a first experiment SCGx performed at 24.00 h of diestrus II, 17 h in advance to the critical period for gonadotropin and prolactin (PRL) release, caused a delay of 1 day or more in estrous cyclicity, while SCGx at 24.00 h on estrus did not modify the estrous cycle. In a second experiment ovariectomized rats injected subcutaneously with estradiol-progesterone or vehicle were subjected to SCGx 17 h before the expected maxima in luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and PRL serum levels. A significant decrease of serum gonadotropin and PRL concentration was found in SCGx, steroid-treated rats. In a third experiment groups of rats injected with estradiol-progesterone and killed at 15.00, 16.00, 17.00, or 18.00 h at or around the time of maximal FSH, LH, and PRL release were used. SCGx performed 17 h before killing caused a generally depressive effect of LH, FSH, and PRL release. In a fourth experiment ovariectomized rats were subjected to pinealectomy and, 1 week later, to estradiol-progesterone treatment and SCGx as in experiment 2. Pi...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Adrenergic Receptors: Trafficking

Adrenergic receptor trafficking is an active physiological process where adrenergic receptors are relocated from one region of the cell to another or from one type of cell to another. Discover the latest research on adrenergic receptor trafficking here.