Effect of Vitamin-E Deficiency on Amount of Gonadotropin in the Anterior Pituitary of Rats.

Abstract

The gonadotrophin content of the anterior pituitary taken from vit. E-deficient rats, 315-469 days of age, was detd. The wts. of testes, seminal vesicles and anterior prostates of groups of male rats hypophysectomized at 21 days of age and subsequently injected with suspensions of frozen-dried anterior pituitaries were compared. The testes of the hypophysectomized rats which received the pituitary suspension from vit. E-deficient male or female rats were significantly heavier than those of rats which received pituitary powder from the controls. There was no difference in the wts. of the seminal vesicles or anterior prostates. It is concluded that the gonadotrophin content of the anterior pituitary gland is elevated in older vit. E -deficient male and female rats. The relationship of these findings to the changes in the gonads in vit. E deficiency is discussed.