Acute and chronic methyl mercury poisoning impairs rat adrenal and testicular function

Journal Article · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15287398009529877· OSTI ID:6849992

Burton, G V; Meikle, A W

Animals poisoned with methyl mercury (CH/sub 3/Hg) exhibit stress intolerance and decreased sexual activity, which suggest both adrenal and testicular dysfunction. Adrenal and testicular function was studied in male rats after treatment with CH/sub 3/Hg. In animals treated chronically, the adrenal glands were markedly hyperplastic with enlargement of the zona fasciculata. The mean basal serum levels of corticosterone were similar in experimental (17.8 ..mu..g/dl) and control (16.8 ..mu..g/dl) groups. However, with ether stress, experimental animals had a subnormal response, and the mean serum levels of corticosterone increased to only 23.9 ..mu../dl compared to 40.6 ..mu..g/dl in the controls. Exogenous ACTH stimulation produced a mean level of 19.0 ..mu..g/dl in the CH/sub 3/Hg-treated animals and 49.7 ..mu..g/dl in the controls. In vitro studies demonstrated a defect in the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone. A profound impairment in swimming was partially reversed with glucocorticoid therapy. In animals treated with CH/sub 3/Hg, serum testosterone was lower than normal in the basal state. Human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation increased the mean serum concentration of testosterone to 23.4 ng/ml in controls, but it was only 4.50 ng/ml in experimental animals. The data indicate that CH/sub 3/Hg poisoning impairs adrenal and testicular steroid hormone secretion, which accounts in part for the diminished stress tolerance and decreased sexual activity observed in CH/sub 3/Hg-intoxicated animals.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City
• OSTI ID: 6849992
• Journal Information: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 6:3; ISSN JTEHD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADRENAL GLANDS
ADRENAL HORMONES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
GLANDS
GONADS
HORMONES
IN VITRO
MALE GENITALS
MAMMALS
METHYLMERCURY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RATS
RODENTS
STEROID HORMONES
TESTES
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES