- Email: [email protected]
Some Influences of Stilbestrol, Estrone, and Testosterone Propionate on the Genital Tract of Young Female Fowls*
Some Influences of Stilbestrol, Estrone, and Testosterone Propionate on the Genital Tract of Young Female Fowls* •
E.
H.
HERRICK
Department of Zoology, Kansas State College, Manhattan,
Kansas
(Received for publication August 6, 1943)
LTHOUGH the estrogenic influence of • stilbestrol in mammals is well known, its effect in birds has not been so extensively determined. That it has activity in birds in one manner or another has, however, been demonstrated (Flock and Bollman, 1941; Gaarenstroom, 1939; Muhlbock, 1939; Witschi and Fugo, 1940; Wolff, 1939; and Zondek and Marx, 1939). Experiments were carried out to determine some influences of stilbestrol and other estrogenic and androgenic substances on the genital tracts of young fowls. Single Comb White Leghorn female chicks were used and injections begun when they were 18 days of age. Eleven intramuscular injections were made on alternate days, and all birds were killed on the second clay following the last injection, at which time they were 40 days of age. Upon killing, the genital tracts were severed at the cloaca and removed. The whole genital tracts were weighed, fixed, and the uterine portions sectioned for histological study. Five groups of six chicks were selected. In one group each chick received 0.5 mg. stilbestrol at each injection or a total of 5.5 mg. Another group received a dosage of 0.1 mg. stilbestrol making a total of 1.1 mg. each. A third group was given injections of 0.25 mg. estrone or a total of 2.75 mg. each. The fourth group was given a dosage of 6 mg. of testosterone propio-
A
[65]
from two birds in each of stilbestrol. 2. Lighter Extrone. 4. Testosterone normal. Same magnifica-
nate or a total of 66 mg. each. A fifth group of normal birds served as controls. The genital tracts of all injected birds were larger than their controls and, in the case of the higher dosage of stilbestrol, 48 times heavier (Table 1). There were only minor variations in size among individuals in each group. Photographs of the dissected genital tracts (Fig. 1) and photomicrographs of cross sections (Fig. 2) further illustrate the relationship of size among the groups. The combs of all injected chicks were larger than the normal birds of the same age. The three groups receiving stilbestrol and estrone had combs approximately three times as large as the normal chicks while
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at NERL on May 17, 2015
* Contribution No. 235, Department of Zoology, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
FIG. 1. Genital tracts group: 1. Larger dosage dosage of stilbestrol. 3. propionate. 5. Untreated tion in all.
66
E. H. HERRICK
3
4
those receiving male sex hormone developed combs many times larger. Apparently it is commonly believed that stilbestrol causes loss of weight in laboratory animals, but in this, as well as other experiments on birds in this laboratory, there has been no evidence of loss of weight or retardation of growth from the influence of this material in young fowls. SUMMARY Stilbestrol, estrone, and testosterone propionate when injected intramuscularly are capable of causing growth of the genital tract in young female chicks. Large doses of stilbestrol have the capacity for stimulating growth of the genital tract to more than 48 times that of normal chicks. The combs of all injected birds were larger than those of untreated ones. There has been no evidence of the loss of weight or the retardation of growth
from the influence of stilbestrol injections. REFERENCES
Flock, E. V., and J. L. Bollman, 1941. The effect of stilbestrol on the plasma phospholipids of the cock. Jour. Biol. Chem. 140:xl-xli. Gaarenstroom, J. H., 1939. Geschlechtsbeeinflussung durch Diiithylstilboestrol, Acta brevia Neerlandica 9:13-14. Miihlbock, 0., 1939. A difference of effect between the oestrogenic hormones and diethylstilboestrol. Nature 143:160-161. Miihlbock, O., 1939. Ueber einige Wirkungen des Diiithylstilbestrols. Acta brevia Neerlandica 9:7-10. Witschi, E., and N. W. Fugo, 1940. Response of sex characters of the adult female starling to synthetic hormones. Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol, and Med. 45 :10-14. Wolff, E., 1939. L'action du dethylstilboestrol, sur les organes genitaux de 1'embryon de poulet. Comp. rend. Acad. d. s. 208:1532-1534. Zondek, B., and L. Marx, 1939. Lipaemia and calcaemia in the cock induced by diethylstilbestrol. Nature 143:378-379.
TABLE 1
Material injected
Stilbestrol Stilbestrol Estrone Testosterone propionate No injections
Dosage on alternate days
Total injected
Av. body weight —first injection
Av. body weight —killed
Genital tract weight
Age at first injection
(mg.) 0.5 0.1 0.25
(mg-) 5.5 1.1 2.75
(gm-) 102 91 89
(gm-) 287 277 269
(mg-) 2,933 701 392
(days) 18 18 18
(days) 40 40 40
6
66
94 93
213 269
18
40 40
183 61
Age when killed
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at NERL on May 17, 2015
FIG. 2. Photomicrographs of cross sections of uterine portions of genital tracts. Same magnification in all. 1. Larger dosage of stilbestrol. 2. Lighter dosage of stilbestrol. 3. Estrone. 4. Testosterone propionate. 5. Untreated normal.
E.
H.
HERRICK
Department of Zoology, Kansas State College, Manhattan,
Kansas
(Received for publication August 6, 1943)
LTHOUGH the estrogenic influence of • stilbestrol in mammals is well known, its effect in birds has not been so extensively determined. That it has activity in birds in one manner or another has, however, been demonstrated (Flock and Bollman, 1941; Gaarenstroom, 1939; Muhlbock, 1939; Witschi and Fugo, 1940; Wolff, 1939; and Zondek and Marx, 1939). Experiments were carried out to determine some influences of stilbestrol and other estrogenic and androgenic substances on the genital tracts of young fowls. Single Comb White Leghorn female chicks were used and injections begun when they were 18 days of age. Eleven intramuscular injections were made on alternate days, and all birds were killed on the second clay following the last injection, at which time they were 40 days of age. Upon killing, the genital tracts were severed at the cloaca and removed. The whole genital tracts were weighed, fixed, and the uterine portions sectioned for histological study. Five groups of six chicks were selected. In one group each chick received 0.5 mg. stilbestrol at each injection or a total of 5.5 mg. Another group received a dosage of 0.1 mg. stilbestrol making a total of 1.1 mg. each. A third group was given injections of 0.25 mg. estrone or a total of 2.75 mg. each. The fourth group was given a dosage of 6 mg. of testosterone propio-
A
[65]
from two birds in each of stilbestrol. 2. Lighter Extrone. 4. Testosterone normal. Same magnifica-
nate or a total of 66 mg. each. A fifth group of normal birds served as controls. The genital tracts of all injected birds were larger than their controls and, in the case of the higher dosage of stilbestrol, 48 times heavier (Table 1). There were only minor variations in size among individuals in each group. Photographs of the dissected genital tracts (Fig. 1) and photomicrographs of cross sections (Fig. 2) further illustrate the relationship of size among the groups. The combs of all injected chicks were larger than the normal birds of the same age. The three groups receiving stilbestrol and estrone had combs approximately three times as large as the normal chicks while
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at NERL on May 17, 2015
* Contribution No. 235, Department of Zoology, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
FIG. 1. Genital tracts group: 1. Larger dosage dosage of stilbestrol. 3. propionate. 5. Untreated tion in all.
66
E. H. HERRICK
3
4
those receiving male sex hormone developed combs many times larger. Apparently it is commonly believed that stilbestrol causes loss of weight in laboratory animals, but in this, as well as other experiments on birds in this laboratory, there has been no evidence of loss of weight or retardation of growth from the influence of this material in young fowls. SUMMARY Stilbestrol, estrone, and testosterone propionate when injected intramuscularly are capable of causing growth of the genital tract in young female chicks. Large doses of stilbestrol have the capacity for stimulating growth of the genital tract to more than 48 times that of normal chicks. The combs of all injected birds were larger than those of untreated ones. There has been no evidence of the loss of weight or the retardation of growth
from the influence of stilbestrol injections. REFERENCES
Flock, E. V., and J. L. Bollman, 1941. The effect of stilbestrol on the plasma phospholipids of the cock. Jour. Biol. Chem. 140:xl-xli. Gaarenstroom, J. H., 1939. Geschlechtsbeeinflussung durch Diiithylstilboestrol, Acta brevia Neerlandica 9:13-14. Miihlbock, 0., 1939. A difference of effect between the oestrogenic hormones and diethylstilboestrol. Nature 143:160-161. Miihlbock, O., 1939. Ueber einige Wirkungen des Diiithylstilbestrols. Acta brevia Neerlandica 9:7-10. Witschi, E., and N. W. Fugo, 1940. Response of sex characters of the adult female starling to synthetic hormones. Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol, and Med. 45 :10-14. Wolff, E., 1939. L'action du dethylstilboestrol, sur les organes genitaux de 1'embryon de poulet. Comp. rend. Acad. d. s. 208:1532-1534. Zondek, B., and L. Marx, 1939. Lipaemia and calcaemia in the cock induced by diethylstilbestrol. Nature 143:378-379.
TABLE 1
Material injected
Stilbestrol Stilbestrol Estrone Testosterone propionate No injections
Dosage on alternate days
Total injected
Av. body weight —first injection
Av. body weight —killed
Genital tract weight
Age at first injection
(mg.) 0.5 0.1 0.25
(mg-) 5.5 1.1 2.75
(gm-) 102 91 89
(gm-) 287 277 269
(mg-) 2,933 701 392
(days) 18 18 18
(days) 40 40 40
6
66
94 93
213 269
18
40 40
183 61
Age when killed
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at NERL on May 17, 2015
FIG. 2. Photomicrographs of cross sections of uterine portions of genital tracts. Same magnification in all. 1. Larger dosage of stilbestrol. 2. Lighter dosage of stilbestrol. 3. Estrone. 4. Testosterone propionate. 5. Untreated normal.