Steroid hormone production in testis, ovary, and adrenal gland of immature rats irradiated in utero with /sup 60/Co
Pregnant rats received whole-body irradiation at 20 days of gestation with 2.6 Gy lambda rays from a 60Co source. Endocrinological effects before maturation were studied using testes and adrenal glands obtained from male offspring and ovaries from female offspring irradiated in utero. Seminiferous tubules of the irradiated male offspring were remarkably atrophied with free germinal epithelium and containing only Sertoli cells. Female offspring also had atrophied ovaries. Testicular tissue obtained from intact and 60Co-irradiated rats was incubated with 14C-labeled pregnenolone, progesterone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, and androstenedione as a substrate. Intermediates for androgen production and catabolic metabolites were isolated after the incubation. The amounts of these metabolites produced by the irradiated testes were low in comparison with the control. The activities of delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17 alpha-hydroxylase, C17,20-lyase, and delta 4-5 alpha-reductase in the irradiated testes were 30-40% of those in nonirradiated testes. Also, the activities of 17 beta- and 20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases were 72 and 52% of the control, respectively. In adrenal glands, the 21-hydroxylase activity of the irradiated animals was 38% of the control, but the delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity was comparable to that of the control. On the other hand, the activity of delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase of the irradiated ovary was only 19% of the control. These results suggest that 60Co irradiation of the fetus in utero markedly affects the production of steroid hormones in testes, ovaries, and adrenal glands after birth.
- Research Organization:
- National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba-shi (Japan)
- OSTI ID:
- 6072429
- Journal Information:
- Radiat. Res.; (United States), Vol. 117:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ADRENAL GLANDS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
OVARIES
STEROIDS
BIOSYNTHESIS
TESTES
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
COBALT 60
ENZYME ACTIVITY
LYASES
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PREGNANCY
PROGENY
RATS
TERATOGENESIS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WHOLE-BODY IRRADIATION
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
COBALT ISOTOPES
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
ENZYMES
EXTERNAL IRRADIATION
FEMALE GENITALS
GLANDS
GONADS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IRRADIATION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MALE GENITALS
MAMMALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOISOTOPES
RODENTS
SYNTHESIS
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
560152* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals
550201 - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques