Abstract
Activities of Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Δ5-3β-HSD), 20β-HSD and 17β-HSD in Sertoli and Leydig cells of 0-50 days old infant rats born of busulphan-treated dams were histochemically quantitated using dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), pregnenolone, 17α-hydroxypregnenolone, 20β-hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone and estra-diol-17β as the substrates. All the HSD activities were detectable in Sertoli cells of 20-50 days old infant animals born of both the control and the busulphan-treated dams. At the age of 40 days, activities of individual HSD in the cells were higher in infants born of the treated dams than in animals born of the control ones. When DHA and pregnenolone were used as the substrates, Leydig cells of infant rats born of the treated dams exhibited a higher Δ5-3β-HSD activity as did the cells of control infant animals. Compared to control infants, however, the other HSD activities were consistently lower in Leydig cells of infant rats born of the treated dams.
