Glucocorticoid action on the growth and development of insects.

Cortisol increased growth and differentiation in the large milkweed insect (Oncopeltus fasciatus). The glucocorticoid significantly increased the growth of the insect as analyzed by wet and dry weights. Cortisol also stimulated the development of the insects over that of the controls during the six day bioassay.

Beta-zeacarotene of the bovine ovary.

An investigation of the carotenoids from a bovine ovary extract has revealed the presence of three Porter-Lincoln pathway intermediates of which beta-zeacarotene is previously unreported. Analysis using spectrophotometric and chemical tests reveals beta-zeacarotene (2.14 micrograms/g), alpha-carotene (0.11 microgram/g), and beta-carotene (27 and 35 micrograms/g).

Prostaglandin inhibitors and the development of mung bean seedlings.

The effect of cortisol and prostaglandin inhibitors on the growth and development of germinating mung bean, Vigna radiata L. Wilzek, cv. Jumbo was investigated. Cortisol, indomethacin, and a mixture of cortisol with aspirin, or benoxaprofen significantly increased radicle length and the number of lateral roots as compared with non-treated controls. A mixture of cortisol and indomethacin significantly increased growth of hypocotyls.

Effect of gibberellic acid on production characteristics of aged and force molted chickens in cages.

Production characteristics of individually caged 72-week-old brown egg type hens or 86-week-old hens of a similar strain that had previously been subjected to different watering systems (continuous flow cups vs. intermittent flow troughs) and the stress and recovery of a forced molting program were evaluated in two trials over a 4 to 5-week interval following 6 alternate day subcutaneous injections (2.4 mg/bird) of gibberellic acid (GA3). Egg production and feed consumption of the 72-week-old hens maintained at constant temperature (20.0 +/- 1.0 C), humidity (55%), and light intensity (10.76 1x) were significantly greater (GA3 X time, P less than .05) in the GA3 treated birds and were accompanied by significantly larger eggs (Ga3 X time, P less than .05) with generally thinner shells. In the second trial, the 86-week-old hens responded with similar trends but the differences were less and related in part to prior watering system. No statistically significant differences were found for egg production, feed consumption, and egg weight as previously observed, but there was significantly greater shell thickness of eggs from the GA3 -treated birds previously adapted to cups as compared to trough waterers (GA3 X time X waterer, P less than .025). No statistically significant effects of GA3 on body weight were observed in either trial. The data suggest that the differences in response between the two trials may be related to the initial differences in egg production and, thus, the levels of circulating gonadal hormones, since GA3 has been shown to have androgenic activity in chicks, and estrogenic as well as other hormonal activity in other species.

Effect of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol on monoamine oxidase activity in bovine eye tissues, in vitro.

An investigation was undertaken to analyze the effects of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity from calf ocular tissues. Ciliary processes, retina, trabecular meshwork, choroid, and iris all demonstrated significant MAO activity in decreasing order of magnitude. THC in concentrations from 10(-8)M to 10(-12)M stimulated MAO activity in extracts from all five tissues, except for iris at 10(-8)M. Maximum stimulation of MAO activity occurred at the 1 x 10(-12)M level for all tissues. Retina, followed next by trabecular meshwork and then ciliary processes, exhibited the largest increase in MAO activity at 10(-12)M THC. This latter effect could possibly by related to the influence of THC on intraocular pressure.

Aversion substance(s) of the rat coagulating glands.

The aversive substance(s) present in adult male urine were not found in castrate rat urine. Removal of the coagulating glands also resulted in a loss of the aversion compounds. The aversion substances were restored to the urine after androgen treatment of the castrate rats.

Impairment of olfactory perception in male rats by treatment with p-chlorophenylalanine and hydrocortisone.

p-Chlorophenylalanine treatment eliminated the normal male rat preference for the female preputial gland odor. Oral administration of hydrocortisone had a similar effect on dimethyl sulfite preference, which slowly reappeared after the discontinuance of the treatment. These changes of behavior are discussed in relation to possible serotonin alterations resulting from the treatments.

Androgenic properties of gibberellic acid in the chick comb bioassay.

Gibberellic acid stimulates the growth of the comb in the male chicks, but is ineffective in females. Estrogen prevents gibberellin-induced stimulation.

Presence of sex pheromone in preputial glands of male rats.

Female rats consistently preferred the odour of male rat preputial gland compared with that of foot pads, submaxillary-sublingual glands, coagulating glands, liver, fat or muscle. Both saline homogenates and ether extracts were effective. Female rats did not respond to the odour of female preputial extract and they preferred the odour of normal male preputial extract to that from castrated rats. The pheromone was not associated with the fatty acids of the preputial extract. The fractionation of the volatile components of preputial extracts by gas chromatography revealed that most of the biological activity resided in a specific fraction.

Modification of rat uterine monoamine oxidase activity by steroid hormones.

The monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in the ovariectomized rat uterus was significantly increased above control levels in animals given testosterone: 33% (P smaller than 0.01) with tryptamine or 34% (P smaller than 0.05) with tyramine as substrate. Activity was also higher in hydrocortisone-treated animals: 30% (P smaller than 0.05) with tyramine or 25% (P smaller than 0.05) with tryptamine as substrate. Progesterone injection increased MAO activity toward tyramine by 20% but towards tryptamine by only 8%. The differences are not statistically significant but are believed to be real since they were reproducible. MAO activity in oestradiol-treated animals was 11% less than in the controls for both substrates. Although they are not significant differences, they were reproducible. No change in MAO activity was observed in the cerebellum, hypothalamus or anterior pituitary of ovariectomized rats after steroid treatment. At oestrus the enzyme activity in the uterus was lower than at dioestrus or prooestrus when beta-phenylethylamine was the substrate. When 5-hydroxytryptamine was used to measure enzyme activity, the same values were found at oestrus, dioestrus and prooestrus. Ovariectomy did not cause any changes in MAO activity in any of the tissues. Effects of the steroids in vivo were probably not due to a direct action on the enzyme since only at high concentration did they have any effect on the mitochondrial enzyme activity of the uterus in vivo.

Biosynthesis of retinol in bovine corpus luteum tissue.

The bovine corpus luteum was found to contain retinol, as analyzed by fluorometry and the formation of anhydroretinol. After the incubation of beta-[15,15 foot-3H] carotene with slices of corpus luteum tissue the biosynthesis of radioactive retinol was demonstrated. Alumina column chromatography, thin layer chromatography, and high speed liquid chromatography were used to isolate and identify radioactive vitamin A. Retinol was also found to form a polar complex, from which could be released by acid hydrolysis.

Biosynthesis of retinal in bovine corpus luteum.

Bovine corpus luteum tissue was sliced and incubated with beta-[15,15'-(3)H]carotene. The conversion of radioactive beta-carotene into radioactive retinal was substantiated utilizing column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, high-speed liquid chromatography, and a derivative formation. Lowering of the incubation temperature to 20 degrees C or boiling the tissue eliminated the conversion of beta-carotene to retinal. In addition, other carotenoids and possible oxidation products of beta-carotene in the corpus luteum were investigated. Our results indicate that the bovine corpus luteum possesses the ability to synthesize retinal in situ, which may play a role in reproductive functions.