Biology of Reproduction, Vol 14, 362-369, Copyright © 1976 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

The Effects of Neonatally-Administered Monosodium Glutamate on the Reproductive System of Adult Hamsters

¹ Department of Anatomy, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267

Saline or 4 or 8 mg MSG/gm was administered to hamsters on Days 1-5, 6-10, and 1-10 neonatally. When sacrificed on Day 60, MSG-treated animals had reproductive organ weights significantly lower than control values. Lesions in the arcuate nucleus were detectable only in hamsters which received 8 mg MSG/gm on Days 6-10 or 1-10. Female hamsters were acyclic and had ovaries with small follicles and with no corpora lutea. Administration of 50 IU PMS to these animals caused follicular maturation; ovulation occurred only after administration of 10 IU HCG. Male hamsters had atrophic seminiferous tubules and minimal activity of 5-3-steroid dehydrogenase in the interstitial cells. The histology of the seminiferous tubules and the activity of 5-3-steroid dehydrogenase approached control levels when 200 IU HCG/day was administered for 7 days. The evidence suggests that MSG affects the hypothalamic center controlling pituitary FSH and LH release when administered on Days 6-10 or 1-10 of the neonatal period.

Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors wish to express their appreciation to Thelma Shepard, Rosemary Schulte and Joyce Collier for their superb technical assistance.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Eskay, M. Brownstein, and R. Long alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone: reduction in adult rat brain after monosodium glutamate treatment of neonates Science, August 24, 1979; 205(4408): 827 - 829. [Abstract] [PDF]

				W. Pizzi, J. Barnhart, and D. Fanslow Monosodium glutamate admlinistration to the newborn reduces reproductive ability in female and male mice Science, April 22, 1977; 196(4288): 452 - 454. [Abstract] [PDF]