EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES IN THE PRODUCTION OF ANDROGEN IN OVARIAN TISSUE AUTOTRANSPLANTED TO THE SPLEEN OF SPAYED RATS

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Abstract
Some 3-week-old female rats were left intact, and some were spayed or spayed in combination with autotransplantation of ovarian tissue into the spleen. Some of the spayed animals received either estradiol monobenzoate or testosterone propionate pellets which were implanted subcutaneously or into the spleen, and some, progesterone pellets which were implanted subcutaneously in combination with spaying. The ventral prostates from litter mates were transplanted subcutaneously or into the spleen of all animals at the same time. Animals were killed at 65-70 days of age. In about 1/3 of the animals the transplanted prostatic tissue was absorbed. Subcutaneous implantation of testosterone was followed by an increase in body-weight and body-length as well as by a marked stimulation of the subcutaneously transplanted prostatic tissue in spayed animals. No such effect was produced when the testosterone was implanted into the spleen. Neither progesterone given subcutaneously nor estradiol given subcutaneously or intrasplenlcally stimulated the transplanted prostatic tissue. Pro-static tissue transplanted subcutaneously was not found to be stimulated in intact controls, in spayed animals or spayed animals with ovarian tissue transplanted into the spleen. Prostatic tissue transplanted into the spleen was not stimulated in intact controls or spayed animals, but grew and showed histological signs of marked stimulation in those cases in which the transplant had taken and developed in contact with ovarian tissue simultaneously transplanted into the spleen of spayed animals. Experiments showed that luteinized ovarian tissue transplanted into the spleen of spayed rats produces androgenic substances which are, however, inactivated in the liver. The androgenic effect is not dependent on the production of progesterone or estrogen.

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