The overall goal of this project is to determine potential effects of alcohol on the pubertal process in primates. We recently described a network of sympathetic nerves, as well as neurons in the monkey ovary and have now completed the treatment and collection of samples to determine 1) if alcohol consumption diminishes the number of sympathetic fibers innervating ovarian follicles without altering density or distribution of the perivascular innervation; 2) if alcohol diminishes or alters the distribution of ovarian neurons; 3) if these alterations lead to decreased estrogen production and delayed follicular development, and 4) if these alterations are due to alcohol-induced reduction in the gene expression of NGF and NT-3 (two neurotrophins recently found to be produced in the ovary) and their respective receptors. Additionally, the treatment was designed so that we can gain information on effects that alcohol may have on specific hormones and on the initiation of puberty in the primate. At 22 months of age, the monkeys began receiving a daily dose of 2 g alcohol/Kg or an isocaloric sucrose control solution by naso-gastric injection. This dose of alcohol is equivalent to one to two drinks and produced peak blood alcohol levels of 160-180 mg% at 1.5 and 3 hr post administration. Animals were weighed monthly, and blood samples have been taken at the specified times for hormonal assessments. Initially, we found that the rate of growth of the alcohol treated monkeys was slower than the control animals. This was, however, remedied by altering the feeding schedule slightly. Assays for serum levels of LH, FSH, Leptin, IGF-1, and gonadal steroids will be carried out soon. Determination of the mRNA levels for NGF and both its receptors in the ovary will be completed in the near future. Morphological and immunohistochemical analysis of the ovaries has begun.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter