Abstract
Morphologic changes occurring in the endocrine organs and tissues of rats in single doss multiple doses, or primed estradiol study of a psychotropic drug were examined light and electro microscopically, or immunohistochemically. When a single dose of a psychotropic drug was given to female rats, prolactin mRNA contents in the pituitary gland was increased immediately after dosing of the drug. Ultrastructurally, fewer and smaller secretory granules of lactotrophs in the pituitary anterior lobe were observed 2 hours after dosing, and morphologic activation of rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus followed after its initial changes. In light microscopic examination, however, sligl changes in the pituitary anterior lobe and mammary glands were observed only 24 hours after dosing. When multiple doses of the drug were given to female and male rats, the pituitary changes and mammar development were seen light and electron microscopically. The pituitary changes were evidenced by immunohistochemistry using anti-BrdU or anti-PCNA monoclonal antibody, and AgNORs stain as indication of proliferating tissue. In the primed estradiol study, although microscopic changes in the pituitary gland and mammary glands due to hormonal effects could be advanced, there were no apparent differences between estradiol and estradiol/psychotropic drug treated animals. The findings in these studies revealed that the endocrine morphologic changes due to a psychotropic drug occurred soon after dosing, and electron microscopy and immunohistochemical techniques were useful for these investigations.
