Relationship between functional activity of the adrenals and gonads in monkeys during puberty

Abstract

Testicular and adrenocortical endocrine function was followed up for 1 year in pubertal male Papio hamadryas. Blood levels of androgens (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone), corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, progesterone, 17-hydtpxyprogesterone, 17-hydroxvpregnanediol), and aldosterone were radioimmunoassayed. An increase of androgen levels (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone) in the blood of experimental animals during puberty was associated with a reliable reduction of corticosteroid concentration, most expressed in monkeys with the maximal increase of testosterone content. The detected hormonal changes did not influence the mineralocorticoid function of the adrenal cortex, because aldosterone level was unchanged over the entire follow-up period.