Effects of antibiotics on androgenization of the neonatal female rat.

Abstract

In order to elucidate the possible mechanisms of action of neonatally administered androgen in inducing permanent sterility, actinomycin D (Act-D) or puromycin (PM), inhibitors of DNA-dependent RNA and protein synthesis, were injected sc into 5-day-old female rats simultaneously with 30 μg testosterone propionate (TP), or 2,4 or 6 hr before, or 2,4,6 or 12 hr after TP injection. Act-D inhibited the effect of TP when the antibiotic was administered 6 or 4 hr before the injection of TP. When Act-D was given simultaneously with, or 2 hr before the injection of TP, however, it had no effect on the sterilizing action of TP. On the other hand, Act-D administered 2 or 4 hr after TP injection markedly inhibited the action of TP. PM significantly inhibited the action of TP only when injected 4 hr after the androgen; its inhibitory effect was much less than that of Act-D at the dose used in this experiment. At 90 days of age, however, none of these groups showed an incidence of sterility significantly different fro...