The Effect of DHEA Given Chronically to Zucker Rats

Abstract

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has been reported to exert antiglucocorticoid activity. When administered to obese, hypercorticosteronemic Zucker rats, it causes a diminution of food intake and a reduction in their rate of weight gain. This experiment was conducted to evaluate whether this biologic effect could be ascribed to chronic adrenal insufficiency. Obese and lean Zucker rats were treated with DHEA as a food supplement for 28 days. Upon sacrifice, organ weights and serum chemistries were measured, along with neurotransmitter levels in regions of the hypothalamus. Results showed that although the obese animals gained weight more slowly, had lower insulin levels, and ate less, their serum glucose, corticosterone, and ACTH levels were not different from control. Hypothalamic neurotransmitters in the obese rat were unaffected by chronic DHEA treatment. We concluded that, although DHEA clearly affects Zucker weight gain, it does not induce chronic adrenal insufficiency.

Dehydroepiandrosterone intake protects against 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary tumor development in the obese Zucker rat model

“…In these experiments, obese rats developed more mammary tumors at earlier time points compared to their lean littermates (13). In agreement with the present data, other studies using the obese Zucker rat model showed that treatment with DHEA resulted in reduced body weight gain (30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35). In laboratory studies, higher body weight has been associated with increases in both spontaneous and chemically induced mammary tumors in various strains of mice (36,37).…”

Oral administration of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) increases in vitro lymphocyte function and improves in vivo response of pigs to immunization against keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and ovalbumin

“…Oral supplementation of DHEAS did not affect weight gain of the female pigs used in this study, in contrast to previous work in rodents [14,15]. However, oral administration of DHEAS improved both in vitro and in vivo immune function in young pigs.…”

Dehydroepiandrosterone prevents age-associated alterations, increasing insulin sensitivity

“…Administration of DHEA to Zucker rats, a rat model of hyperinsulinemia, has been shown to decrease insulin levels [58,59]. We have here observed that circulating insulin levels diminished with DHEA treatment.…”