Endocrinology, Vol 99, 1631-1637, Copyright © 1976 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Strain-dependent gonadal effects upon adrenal cholesterol ester concentration and composition in C57BL/10J and DBA/2J mice

F Stylianopoulou and RB Clayton

The effects of gonadectomy and sex hormone administration on the concentrations of the individual cholesterol esters in the adrenals of C57BL/10J and DBA/2J mice are described. The methyl esters of the fatty acids derived from the cholesterol ester fraction have been analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. In both strains the females have a higher total adrenal cholesterol ester concentration than the males. However, different gonadal effects operate in the two strains. In the C57 strain the presence of the ovary or the administration of estradiol benzoate to the ovariectomized female increases the concentrations of all adrenal cholesterol esters. This effect does not occur in the DBA strain. In the DBA strain the presence of the testes or the administration of testosterone propionate to the castrate male lowers the concentration of all adrenal cholesterol esters. This effect does not occur in the C57 strain. The response to testosterone propionate in the castrate male of the DBA strain is significantly greater than that of ovariectomized female. This finding suggests that sexual differentiation influences the magnitude of the response. In both strains cholesteryl adrenate (C22:4) shows these gonadal effects to a greater degree than the other adrenal cholesterol esters. Thus, there are at least two types of gonadal control of adrenal cholesterol esters. One of these affects all the esters in general while the other affects adrenic acid metabolism specifically.