Effect of Vagotomy on Postcastration Gonadotropin Secretion in Male Rats

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Abstract
The postcastration increase in gonadotropins was studied in intact and vagotomized male rats. Rats underwent vagotomy or sham surgery immediately prior to castration. In the 1st esperiment, rats were bled before castration and at 1, 2, 4 and 7 days after castration. Serum LH [luteinizing hormone] and FSH were significantly lower in vagotomized rats 1 day after castration. On days 2, 4 and 7 postcastration, serum gonadotropin levels were generally not different among experimental groups. In a 2nd experiment, rats were decapitated at 12 or 24 h after surgery and castration. Trunk blood was collected for assay of LH. Vagotomy had no effect on LH levels at 12 h postcastration, but at 24 h postcastration vagotomized rats had significantly lower serum LH than did sham-operated rats. Vagotomy has a transient suppressive effect on gonadotropin release following castration. Such observations support the hypothesis that the vagus nerve may play a modulatory role in gonadotropin secretion.

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