Changes in the aortic concentration of nucleic acids induced by gonadectomy in rats

Abstract

Summary Nucleic acids were determined as pentose nucleic acid phosphorus (PNA-P) and deoxypentose nucleic acid phosphorus (DNA-P) in the aorta, liver and diaphragmatic muscle of rats. Intact and gonadectomized, male and female animals were studied. Testosterone and estradiol respectively were given to half of the gonadectomized rats. Castration brought about the following changes. In aorta, PNA-P was decreased in male and female animals while DNA-P increased in males and decreased in females; the P/D ratio was lowered in males and elevated in females. In liver, PNA-P was not significantly affected in either sex while DNA-P was elevated in both; nevertheless the P/D ratio was increased in males and depressed in females. In diaphragmatic muscle, both nucleic acid levels were depressed in males and unaffected in females; the P/D ratio showed no changes. These changes show that gonadal hormones have a regulating action on aortic metabolism, and that the action is different from that on other organs.