THE INFLUENCE OF VITAMIN E-DEFICIENCY ON THE ENDOCRINE GLANDS OF RATS, PARTICULARLY ON THE GONADOTROPIC HORMONE CONTENT OF THE PITUITARY GLAND

Abstract

Endocrine gland wts. of 234 vit. E-deficient [male] and [female] rats and 247 gonadectomized and normal [male][male] and [female][female] which served as controls are presented. E-deficiency produced the following effects: (1) Degeneration of the germinal epithelium with a decrease in testis wt. to less than 1/2 that of testes of normal [male][male]. There was no influence on the wt. or cyclic function of the ovary. (2) Increase in wt. of the accessory glands after 3 mos. of def., but a decrease after 15 mos. Supplementing wheat germ oil (vit. E) gave the heaviest accessories obtained in any of the rats. (3) Increase in wt. of the adrenals of [male][male] due to hypertrophy of the cortex, but no influence on the adrenals of [female][female]. (4) Involution of the thymus was delayed in [male][male] but not in [female][female]. (5) Increase of as much as 100% in wt. of the thyroids of [male][male] but no influence in [female][female]. The increase in wt. of the thyroid of the [male][male] was largely prevented by supplementing wheat germ oil and completely prevented by supplementing I. (6) Increase in wt. of pituitaries of [male][male] after 3 and 6 mos. def., but no increase after 12 mos. of deficiency. The basophils increased in size and number. Pituitaries from [female][female] were not affected. Statistical analysis of ovarian wts. obtained following the inj. of vit. E-deficient and normal [male] pituitary powder into immature hypophysectomized [female] rats failed to show a significant difference in gonadotrophic potency. Pituitaries from castrate [male][male] produced a significant increase in ovarian wt. over that produced by normal [male] pituitaries. Pituitaries from vit. E-deficient [male][male] produced the same ovarian response as those from normal [female][female]. The pituitaries of vit. E-deficient [male][male] increased in luteinizing hormone content, however, the increase was not as great as in castrate [male] glands. Data are presented which show that there is no appreciable loss in potency of dried rat pituitary glands stored in a desiccator for 16 mos. The bearing of the results upon the general problem of gonad-pituitary interrelationship is discussed.