STUDIES ON THE MOUSE UTERINE AUGMENTATION TEST FOR THE ASSAY OF FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE IN FOUR MOUSE COLONIES

Abstract

ABSTRACT Assays of follicle-stimulating hormone from the National Institutes of Health (NIH-FSH-S4) have been conducted using the uterine augmentation test in four strains of mice. Dose response curves were determined for each strain using dosages of NIH-FSH ranging from 4–64 μg together with 0.1 IU human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in five sc injections given over three days. The specificity of the assay was investigated in each strain by adding 2, 10 and 50 μg luteinizing hormone (NIH-LH-S6) to each of three doses of NIH-FSH, 6, 12 and 24 μg, forming a complete three factor experimental design; each mouse also received 0.1 IU HCG. Five mice from each strain were employed at each of the 64 treatment combinations. Values for b and λ in the dose response studies were acceptable for quantitative work but all strains were relatively insensitive. In the specificity studies the analysis of variance showed that a marked strain variation existed in the magnitude of the response to NIH-FSH and to NIH-LH while one strain showed a significant interaction between these two hormones. Regression analysis was carried out and the influence of different doses of NIH-LH on the linear regression coefficient was examined. In general it was considered that, under the conditions employed, none of the four strains would prove useful in the uterine augmentation test.