Premium
EFFECT OF CASTRATION ON CHOLESTEROL METABOLISM AND HEPATIC CYTOCHROME P‐450 IN PIPERAZINE‐TREATED MALE AND FEMALE RABBITS
Author(s) -
West CE,
Redgrave TG,
Roberts DCK
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
australian journal of experimental biology and medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0004-945X
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1974.15
Subject(s) - castration , piperazine , medicine , endocrinology , cholesterol , biology , metabolism , cytochrome , gonad , somatic cell , microsome , hormone , biochemistry , pharmacology , enzyme , gene
Summary Piperazine was added to the diets of cholesterol‐fed male and female rabbits that had been castrated 8 weeks previously. Castration did not alter the differential effect of piperazine on cholesterol metabolism, i.e. in male rabbits hypercholesterolaemia was reduced but in females it was augmented. In the same experiments hepatic microsomal cytochrome P‐450 was measured. Intact female rabbits had higher P‐450 concentrations than males and the difference was removed after castration. Piperazine reduced P‐450 concentrations in males but not in females. We conclude that the differential effect of piperazine on cholesterol metabolism in male and female rabbits must operate at a chromosomal or somatic level of sexual differentiation and not through the gonad. There is no simple relationship between hepatic total P‐450 concentration and cholesterol metabolism.