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Effect of salivariadenectomy upon gonadal activity in male rats
Archs
oral Bid.
Vol.12,pp.Y21-Y23,
1967. Pergamon Press
Ltd.Printed inCit.Britain.
EFFECT OF SALIVARIADENECTOMY UPON GONADAL ACTIVITY IN MALE RATS J. A. THOMAS*and M. F. HILL Departments
of Physiology-Pharmacology and Anatomy, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska 68102, U.S.A.
SEVERALinvestigators (MUHLERand SHAFER,1954; BIXLERet al.,
1955a) have observed no histological changes in the testes of rats following the removal of the salivary glands. Salivariadenectomy has been reported to lead to reductions in testicular weights (MUHLER and SHAFER, 1954; BIXLERet al., 1955b, 1957). Seminal vesicles undergo atrophy, but only after 50 days post-salivariadenectomy (BIXLERet al., 1957). Extirpation of the salivary glands in other rodents, such as the mouse, has been reported to lead to regressive alterations in testicular histology (ABRAMS, 1964). The present investigations were undertaken to further study the influence of the submaxillary and the sublingual gland on the testes and sex accessory organs of the rat. Fructose levels in the anterior lobes of the prostate gland (coagulating gland) were used as an index of androgenic activity (MANN et al., 1949). The amount of testosterone and androstenedione in the testes is correlated to the fructose secretory activity of the sex accessory glands (LINDNERand MANN, 1960). Groups (N = 5 or more rats) were sacrificed 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32 days postsalivariadenectomy. Sham-operated controls (N = 11) were run concurrently. All animals were 3 months of age. Rats exhibited similar body weight gains during the course of these experiments regardless of the post-operative sacrifice interval. The mean testicular weights of all salivariadenectomized groups were not statistically different from those of the sham-operated animals. Testicular morphology was only slightly affected by removal of the submaxillary and sublingual glands. Beginning at 8 days following operation, there appeared to be a slight reduction in the number of germinal elements. Occasionally, sterile tubules were observed. After 16 days following operation a somewhat greater incidence of sterile tubules was noted. It should be noted, however, that the alterations observed in gonadal histology were only minor. Leydig cells appeared to be normal. Figure 1 shows the effects of removing the submaxillary and sublingual glands on sex accessory organ activity. The zero post-operative intervals are represented by sham-operated animals. The weights of the anterior lobes of the prostate gland were not changed during the course of these experiments. Fructose content, a particularly sensitive indicator of male sex hormone production (MANN, 1964), began to recede *Present address: Department of Pharmacology, Morgantown, W. Va. 26506, U.S.A. 921
West Virginia University
Medical Center,
K
J. A. THOMAS AND M. F. HILL
922
IO
20
30
DAYS POST- OP FIG. 1. Effect of removing the submaxillary and sublingual glands upon the anterior lobes of the prostate. Salivariadenectomized rats were sacrificed at 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32 days post-operatively, Each dot represents the mean value for five or more animals.
16 days post-operatively. Levels of this sugar in the gland were significantly reduced at 32 days following salivariadenectomy (p <2x). The mechanism whereby the salivary glands exert a supportive action upon gonada1 activity remains to be disclosed. Although the morphology of the Leydig cells was normal, it is not necessarily indicative of their secretory activity. Gonadotropin secretion was apparently unaffected since the testes failed to atrophy during these particular post-operative time intervals. In these studies, decreased sex accessory fructose levels were not related to altered nutritional status since body weight gains were the same in salivariadenectomized and sham-operated animals. In summary, the germinal epithelium of the testes of salivariadenectomized rats were not demonstrably changed nor was the morphology of Leydig cells altered. However, androgen secretion by the gonads (as indicated by fructose levels) began to diminish as early as 16 days following salivariadenectomy. AcknowledgementSupported in part by NIH research grant ROl AM 0901 l03MET and by Child Health and Human Development grant 00180. REFERENCES ABRAM~,E. J. 1964. Testicular alterations in mice following salivary gland removal. J. dent. Res. 43,
869. B-R,
D., Muru.q J. C. and SHAFER,W. G. 1955a. The effects of castration, sex hormones, and desalivation on dental caries in the rat. J. dent. Res. 34,889-894. BIXLER,D., MUHLER,J. C. and SHAFER,W. G. 1955b. Effect of desalivation on adrenals, uterus, and testes in the rat. J. dent. res. 34,91&914. BIXLER,D., WEBXER,R. C. and MUHLER,J. C. 1957. The effect of salivariadenectomy on the reproductive organs of the female rat. J. dent. Res. 36, 559-565.
EFFECT OF SALIVARLWENECTOMY UPON GONADAL ACTIVITY IN MALE RATS LINDNER, H. R. and
923
MANN T. 1960. Relationship between the content of androgenic steroids in the testes and the secretory activity of the seminal vesicles in the bull. J. Em&r. 21, 341-360. MANN, T., DAVIES,D. V. and HUMPHREY,G. F. 1949. Fructose and citric acid assay in the secretion of the accessory glands of reproduction as indicator tests of male sex hormone activity. J. Ena’ocr. 6, X-85. MANN, T. 1964. Biochemistry of Semen and of the Male Reproductive Tract, p. 237. Methuen, London. MUHLER,J. C. and SHAFER,W. G. 1954. Effect of desalivation on dental caries and castration and desalivation on fluorine storage in the rat. J. dent. Res. 33,346-356.
oral Bid.
Vol.12,pp.Y21-Y23,
1967. Pergamon Press
Ltd.Printed inCit.Britain.
EFFECT OF SALIVARIADENECTOMY UPON GONADAL ACTIVITY IN MALE RATS J. A. THOMAS*and M. F. HILL Departments
of Physiology-Pharmacology and Anatomy, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska 68102, U.S.A.
SEVERALinvestigators (MUHLERand SHAFER,1954; BIXLERet al.,
1955a) have observed no histological changes in the testes of rats following the removal of the salivary glands. Salivariadenectomy has been reported to lead to reductions in testicular weights (MUHLER and SHAFER, 1954; BIXLERet al., 1955b, 1957). Seminal vesicles undergo atrophy, but only after 50 days post-salivariadenectomy (BIXLERet al., 1957). Extirpation of the salivary glands in other rodents, such as the mouse, has been reported to lead to regressive alterations in testicular histology (ABRAMS, 1964). The present investigations were undertaken to further study the influence of the submaxillary and the sublingual gland on the testes and sex accessory organs of the rat. Fructose levels in the anterior lobes of the prostate gland (coagulating gland) were used as an index of androgenic activity (MANN et al., 1949). The amount of testosterone and androstenedione in the testes is correlated to the fructose secretory activity of the sex accessory glands (LINDNERand MANN, 1960). Groups (N = 5 or more rats) were sacrificed 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32 days postsalivariadenectomy. Sham-operated controls (N = 11) were run concurrently. All animals were 3 months of age. Rats exhibited similar body weight gains during the course of these experiments regardless of the post-operative sacrifice interval. The mean testicular weights of all salivariadenectomized groups were not statistically different from those of the sham-operated animals. Testicular morphology was only slightly affected by removal of the submaxillary and sublingual glands. Beginning at 8 days following operation, there appeared to be a slight reduction in the number of germinal elements. Occasionally, sterile tubules were observed. After 16 days following operation a somewhat greater incidence of sterile tubules was noted. It should be noted, however, that the alterations observed in gonadal histology were only minor. Leydig cells appeared to be normal. Figure 1 shows the effects of removing the submaxillary and sublingual glands on sex accessory organ activity. The zero post-operative intervals are represented by sham-operated animals. The weights of the anterior lobes of the prostate gland were not changed during the course of these experiments. Fructose content, a particularly sensitive indicator of male sex hormone production (MANN, 1964), began to recede *Present address: Department of Pharmacology, Morgantown, W. Va. 26506, U.S.A. 921
West Virginia University
Medical Center,
K
J. A. THOMAS AND M. F. HILL
922
IO
20
30
DAYS POST- OP FIG. 1. Effect of removing the submaxillary and sublingual glands upon the anterior lobes of the prostate. Salivariadenectomized rats were sacrificed at 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32 days post-operatively, Each dot represents the mean value for five or more animals.
16 days post-operatively. Levels of this sugar in the gland were significantly reduced at 32 days following salivariadenectomy (p <2x). The mechanism whereby the salivary glands exert a supportive action upon gonada1 activity remains to be disclosed. Although the morphology of the Leydig cells was normal, it is not necessarily indicative of their secretory activity. Gonadotropin secretion was apparently unaffected since the testes failed to atrophy during these particular post-operative time intervals. In these studies, decreased sex accessory fructose levels were not related to altered nutritional status since body weight gains were the same in salivariadenectomized and sham-operated animals. In summary, the germinal epithelium of the testes of salivariadenectomized rats were not demonstrably changed nor was the morphology of Leydig cells altered. However, androgen secretion by the gonads (as indicated by fructose levels) began to diminish as early as 16 days following salivariadenectomy. AcknowledgementSupported in part by NIH research grant ROl AM 0901 l03MET and by Child Health and Human Development grant 00180. REFERENCES ABRAM~,E. J. 1964. Testicular alterations in mice following salivary gland removal. J. dent. Res. 43,
869. B-R,
D., Muru.q J. C. and SHAFER,W. G. 1955a. The effects of castration, sex hormones, and desalivation on dental caries in the rat. J. dent. Res. 34,889-894. BIXLER,D., MUHLER,J. C. and SHAFER,W. G. 1955b. Effect of desalivation on adrenals, uterus, and testes in the rat. J. dent. res. 34,91&914. BIXLER,D., WEBXER,R. C. and MUHLER,J. C. 1957. The effect of salivariadenectomy on the reproductive organs of the female rat. J. dent. Res. 36, 559-565.
EFFECT OF SALIVARLWENECTOMY UPON GONADAL ACTIVITY IN MALE RATS LINDNER, H. R. and
923
MANN T. 1960. Relationship between the content of androgenic steroids in the testes and the secretory activity of the seminal vesicles in the bull. J. Em&r. 21, 341-360. MANN, T., DAVIES,D. V. and HUMPHREY,G. F. 1949. Fructose and citric acid assay in the secretion of the accessory glands of reproduction as indicator tests of male sex hormone activity. J. Ena’ocr. 6, X-85. MANN, T. 1964. Biochemistry of Semen and of the Male Reproductive Tract, p. 237. Methuen, London. MUHLER,J. C. and SHAFER,W. G. 1954. Effect of desalivation on dental caries and castration and desalivation on fluorine storage in the rat. J. dent. Res. 33,346-356.