A PITFALL IN THE OVARIAN ASCORBIC ACID DEPLETION ASSAY (OAAD): EFFECT OF UNILATERAL OVARIECTOMY, hCG AND ASIALO-hCG

Abstract

ABSTRACT The estimation of the effect of desialylation on the biological activity of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), as determined in the ovarian ascorbic acid depletion assay (OAAD), according to the modification in which the animals are used twice, appeared to be dependent on the assay conditions. Animals which received hCG in the first assay (OAAD-1) gave higher potency estimates for hCG and asialo-hCG in the second assay (OAAD-2) than rats which received asialo-hCG in OAAD-1. The results of the experiments indicate that the ovarian sensitivity for hCG and asialo-hCG is increased after administration of hCG and unilateral ovariectomy and decreased after administration of asialo-hCG.