Early postnatal effects of prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids on testosterone metabolism and biogenic monoamines in discrete neuroendocrine regions of the rat brain

We investigated the effects of hydrocortisone acetate and dexamethasone administered to pregnant rats during the last gestational week on sexual differentiation of testosterone metabolism and biogenic monoamine contents and turnover in the discrete brain regions in 10-day-old offspring. In the preop...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology 2004-06, Vol.138 (2), p.169-175
Main Authors: Reznikov, A.G., Nosenko, N.D., Tarasenko, L.V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
5α-Reductase
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Aromatase
Biogenic Monoamines - metabolism
Brain - drug effects
Brain - metabolism
Catecholamines
Female
Glucocorticoids
Glucocorticoids - administration & dosage
Male
Neurosecretory Systems - drug effects
Neurosecretory Systems - metabolism
Pregnancy
Prenatal exposure
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
Rat
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Serotonin
Sex Differentiation - drug effects
Sex Differentiation - physiology
Sexual brain differentiation
Testosterone - metabolism
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Summary:We investigated the effects of hydrocortisone acetate and dexamethasone administered to pregnant rats during the last gestational week on sexual differentiation of testosterone metabolism and biogenic monoamine contents and turnover in the discrete brain regions in 10-day-old offspring. In the preoptic area, sex-dependent differences in aromatase activity were attenuated by prenatal glucocorticoids. Prenatal dexamethasone but not hydrocortisone acetate caused the inversion of sexual dimorphism of 5α-reductase activity in the preoptic area. In the brain preoptic area of the male pups prenatally exposed to hydrocortisone acetate, a decrease in noradrenaline turnover was found. Dopamine turnover in the preoptic area and 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism in the preoptic area and medial basal hypothalamus increased in females as a result of hydrocortisone acetate treatment. Our results indicate that excess glucocorticoids in prenatal life modifies the basic neurochemical and neurophysiological mechanisms of sexual brain differentiation and might contribute to behavioral and reproductive disorders in adulthood.
ISSN:1532-0456
1878-1659
DOI:10.1016/j.cca.2004.06.005