Effects of testosterone and estradiol on serum somatomedin A and growth rate of rats.

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Abstract
The mode of involvement of sex steroids in the growth spurt during adolescence was studied in Wistar rats with a special reference to the level of serum somatomedin A (SMA) determined by radioreceptor assay. Administration (i.m.) of testosterone propionate (T; 1 mg/day, alternately for 10 days) to female or gonadectomized male rats provoked a small but significant increase in their body weight or body length without affecting the serum SMA level. In contrast, in hypophysectomized (hypox) male rats T caused a considerable increase in body weight and the serum SMA level only when administered concurrently with bovine growth hormone (bGH; 0.2 U/day i.p.). T did not affect the sulfation activity in vitro. Apparently androgen participates in the growth spurt during adolescence by enhancing the SMA effect and/or potentiating the SMA production by GH. Estradiol benzoate (E2; 100 .mu.g/day, alternately for 10 days) caused a decrease in the serum SMA level and the growth rate in normal male rats. However, E2 produced an increase in the SMA level when administered to hypox male rats, although the growth was retarded and sulfation potency of the serum was sharply reduced. E2 may suppress the growth by lowering SMA generation in normal rats and cause a production of biologically inactive SMA in hypox male rats.