Androgens and Uterine Weight in the Immature Rat.

Abstract

Astwood has demonstrated that 6 hours after the administration of estrogens to the 21-day-old rat. there is an increase in uterine weight. This weight increase is largely due to increased hydration (edema) of the uterus. Pincus and Graubard have essentially confirmed these findings. Zuckerman has stated that androgens also cause increased hydration of the uterus in the monkey. Astwood in a brief report has stated that androgens will cause a uterine weight increase in rats similar to that caused by estrogens. The Astwood technic as originally proposed for estrogen assays is a very rapid and convenient one. Reports have appeared in which it has been applied to urinary estrogen assays. Inasmuch as androgens are known to be present in the urines of normal, pregnant or castrate women, it seems of interest to report our findings as to the uterine weight-increasing effects of various androgens. Findings. All animals were given the androgen subcutaneously in 0.1 cc of peanut oil and were killed 6 hours after the treatment. Peanut oil has previously been tested in this laboratory and found to contain neither estrogen nor androgen. The cervico-vaginal junctions were cut, the uteri carefully removed and immediately weighed on a Roller-Smith balance sensitive to 0.02 mg. The tissues were preserved in Bouin's fluid and representative uteri were examined microscopically. Detailed weight-findings are presented in tabular form (Table I). The animals of Groups 1 and 2 were 21 days old. Group 1 served as controls (A). As can be noted in the table, 0.5 mg testosterone (Group 2) caused a statistically significant increase in uterine weight, 22.8% over that of the controls.