TESTOSTERONE AND PROGESTERONE LEVEL ALTERATIONS IN THE ADULT-RAT AFTER RETINOID (RETINOL OR RETINOIC ACID) TREATMENT (IMPRINTING) IN NEONATAL OR ADOLESCENT AGE

Newborn rats were treated with a single dose of vitamin A (retinol), o r with three doses of retinoic acid (in the 1st, 3rd and 5th days). Se rum testosterone and progesterone level was measured in the four month s old male and female rats, respectively. Retinol significantly decrea sed both hormone levels, however retinoic acid decreased the progester one level only. In the second part of the experiments adolescent rats (in the 6th and 7th week after birth) were treated and measured simila r to the newborns. In this case retinol significantly diminished testo sterone level, without influencing the progesterone level. Retinoic ac id decreased testosterone level and elevated progesterone level. The r esults demonstrate the long lasting effects of retinoid treatments at a neonatal or adolescent age, pointing also to the differences in the direction of the effects. Considering that previously the receptorial and sexual-behavioral effects of perinatal vitamin A treatments were o bserved, the experiments call attention to such harmful influences of perinatal Vitamin A treatments, which are not manifested in morphologi cal alterations.