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Catecholamines in hypothalamus, ovaries and uteri of rats with precocious puberty

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Abstract

The concentration of catecholamines in the hypothalamus and reproductive organs of rats with hypothalamic lesions placed on the day of birth was investigated. In an attempt to contribute to the discussion concerning the role of catecholamines in regulation of puberty, the aim of this study was to examine the content of hypothalamic, ovarian and uterine catecholamines in female rats with precocious vaginal opening. The animals were sacrificed on the day of precocious puberty, which occurred at the age of 25.71±0.98 days. The data obtained were compared with intact (pubertal) controls obtained on the day of vaginal opening (40.13±1.35 days) as well as in infantile intact controls of corresponding age of the lesioned animals. In the ovaries of both animals (i.e. lesioned and sacrificed on day of vaginal opening and the infantile controls of corresponding age), small and medium sized follicles were present. Ruptured follicles were evident only in the pubertal controls. The mass of ovaries and uteri from lesioned rats was also significantly lower than in the pubertal controls. Concentrations of norepinephrine in both ovaries and uteri on the day of vaginal opening of the animals with posterior hypohalamic lesions and of infantile controls, was significantly higher than in pubertal controls on the day of vaginal opening. Epinephrine was significantly higher in the uterine tissues of lesioned and infantile controls as compared to pubertal animals. The levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the hypothalamus of lesioned and pubertal controls on the day of vaginal opening were significantly higher than in infantile controls. It appears that, after the posterior hypothalamic lesion, neuronal fibers connecting the posterior and anterior hypothalamic area were altered. As a consequence, the mechanisms regulating sequences of tonic and phasic release of gonadotropins and prolactin as well as the neuronal efferent and afferent pathways to the ovaries and vagina are modified. The character of their responsiveness to the signal molecules transferred by neuronal or circulatory routes during development, leading to precocious vaginal opening, can not be neglected. These data indicate to the importance of hypothalamic catecholamines in regulation of reproductive organ activities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Endocrinology 090, Institute of Nuclear Sciences, “Vinca”, P.O.B. 522, 11001, Beograd, Yugoslavia

    O. K. Ivanišević-Milovanović & M. Demajo

  2. The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Yugoslavia

    V. Pantic

  3. Medical Faculty, Institute of Physiology, Beograd, Yugoslavia

    H. Lončar-Stevanović

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  1. O. K. Ivanišević-Milovanović
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  2. V. Pantic
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  3. M. Demajo
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  4. H. Lončar-Stevanović
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Ivanišević-Milovanović, O.K., Pantic, V., Demajo, M. et al. Catecholamines in hypothalamus, ovaries and uteri of rats with precocious puberty. J Endocrinol Invest 16, 769–773 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348923

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348923

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