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Quarterly Journal of Experimental Physiology 13.3 pp 209-226
© The Physiological Society 1923
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ON THE GENERAL EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO RADIUM ON METABOLISM AND TUMOUR GROWTH IN THE RAT AND THE SPECIAL EFFECTS ON TESTIS AND PITUITARY

J. C. Mottram 1 and W. Cramer 1

1 The Radium Institute, The Laboratory of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund

When small doses of radiation from radium are applied over long periods to young male rats certain general changes are produced. These animals put on weight more rapidly than the controls and become very obese. The testes show intense atrophy of the seminiferous tubules and hypertrophy of the interstitial cells. The pituitary gland also shows changes in all three parts of the gland. The experimental analysis of these phenomena leads to the following conclusions :

The primary effect is the atrophy of the seminiferous tubules. The resulting shrinkage of these tubules allows the interstitial cells to hypertrophy. Comparison with the effects of castration shows that the elimination of the functional activity of the seminal epithelium does not lead to obesity. It only produces certain definite changes in the anterior portion of the pituitary gland. The obesity is, in this condition at any rate, the direct or indirect result of the hypertrophy of the interstitial cells, which also produces changes in the intermediate and posterior portions of the pituitary.

The observations show that the two component tissues of the testis, the spermatogenetic tissue and the interstitial tissue, have two distinct and independent effects on the organism, and that of these two effects that of the interstitial cells is the more profound one. Even in the absence of the spermatogenetic tissue they furnish an internal secretion which produces definite changes in the intermediate and nervous portions of the pituitary and which, through its action on this gland and possibly also some other endocrine organs, affects the metabolism. These effects on endocrine organs and metabolism represent probably the actual basis of the general changes stated by Steinach to occur after implantation of testicular tissue and, when induced in a senile organism, described vaguely as rejuvenescence.

The interrelationship of obesity and sterility is discussed and an explanation is given of the possible mode of production of the symptom complex of dystrophia adiposo-genitalis.

Resection of the vasa deferentia produces no very obvious changes in either testis or pituitary, and does not produce obesity.

Rats which have been rendered obese by exposure to radium are more resistant to the growth of transplantable tumours.






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Copyright © 1923 by the The Physiological Society.