Postnatal ACTH and corticosterone: effects on reproduction in mice

At birth, male and female mice were selected at random and injected subcutaneously with either 1 IU ACTH/0.05 ml saline, 0.5 IU ACTH/0.05 ml saline, 300 micrograms corticosterone acetate/0.05 steroid suspending vehicle or 0.05 ml saline vehicle alone on Postpartum Days 1 through 3. ACTH (0.5 IU) significantly lengthened the estrus cycle of female progeny and reduced the weights of litters born to them. Corticosterone significantly reduced the proportion of females inseminated as well as the proportion giving birth. Corticosterone also reduced one parameter of sexual receptivity. Both ACTH (1 IU) and corticosterone significantly increased some masculine copulatory behaviors in male offspring in adulthood. Thus neonatal administration of glucocorticoids and ACTH may disrupt normal development of reproductive functioning in male and female mice.