PITUITARY-OVARIAN DYSFUNCTION IN RATS WITH INDUCED NEPHROTIC SYNDROME

The reproductive hormonal profile was evaluated in female rats with ex perimental nephrotic syndrome induced with a single subcutaneous dose of puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN). Serum concentrations of luteinizin g hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone (P-4) , testosterone and 17 beta-estradiol (E(2)) were determined sequential ly in control and experimental groups on days 1, 3, 7 and 10 after PAN administration. Prolactin levels were also assessed on day 10. In bot h groups, vaginal smears were taken daily throughout the study to eval uate cyclic histological changes. At the end of the experiment the his tological appearance of the ovaries was evaluated by light microscopy. Nephrotic rats had a rapid loss of the estrous cycle starting on day 4, which set them at diestrus. At the same time the hormonal evaluatio n indicated a gradual decrease in E(2), LH and P-4 concentrations, sta rting from days 3, 7 and 10, respectively. No significant changes were noted in FSH or testosterone values. Besides, on day 10, prolactin co ncentrations remained unmodified. Even though most hormonal levels wer e found low on day 10, all values except E(2) (undetectable) correspon ded to the internal reported for the diestrus phase. Likewise, histolo gical examination of ovarian tissue from nephrotic rats showed a consi derable increase in the number of atretic follicles. These findings in dicate that female rats with nephrotic syndrome develop an important e ndocrine dysfunction that probably involves steroidogenic tissues (ova ry and/or adrenal gland), and suggest the existence of a hypothalamic- hypophyseal impairment.