Abstract
The effects of ACTH and adrenalectomy on sexual maturation was studied in female rats. Weanling (21-day-old) intact and adrenalectomized female rats received 4 IU/100 gm body weight until Day 40. Animals were sacrificed on Days 25 30 35 40 and on the day of vaginal opening. Blood samples were assayed for progesterone corticosterone luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin. Animals sacrificed at 1st estrus were examined for the number of ova present in the Fallopian tubes. ACTH treatment delayed vaginal opening for 4 days in both intact and adrenalectomized animals. Since ACTH-injected adrenalectomized rats did not show a delay in vaginal opening it would appear that the inhibitory effect of ACTH is mediated by the adrenal glands. However these animals had a marked reduction in the number of ova present at 1st estrus and markedly lower body weight at vaginal opening. ACTH-treated intact rats that showed delayed vaginal opening had elevated levels of progesterone and corticosterone. In animals not exhibiting retarded sexual maturation only corticosterone levels were elevated. Although it appeared that the chronically elevated levels of progesterone in ACTH-treated rats inhibited sexual maturation by interfering with plasma LH attempts to show a suppression of plasma LH were unsuccessful.
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