Marked Reduction in Gonadal Steroid Hormone Levels in Rats Treated Neonatally with Monosodium L-Glutamate: Further Evidence for Disruption of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis Regulation
Abstract
Serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, estradiol-17 beta and testosterone were determined in adult rats that were treated in the neonatal period with monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) which has previously been shown to reliably produce destruction of arcuate nucleus perikarya. MSG-treated males had significantly smaller accessory sexual organs (seminal vesicles and ventral prostate) and tests and had significantly lower serum concentrations of FSH and testosterone than sex-matched controls. MSG-treated females had significantly lower serum concentrations of LH, FSH and estradiol-17 beta. Prolactin levels of MSG-treated rats were no different than sex-matched controls. This marked reduction in gonadal steroid levels (decreases 68%) and inappropriately low gonadotropin levels further characterizes the deficit of feedback regulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in MSG-treated rats.
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