Relationship of Steroid and Pituitary Hormones to Myocardial Calcification in the Mouse. ∗

Summary

Hydrocortisone administered at daily levels above 0.25 mg for 15 days consistently induced calcification of the myocardium in adolescent female mice. The male was less affected than the female and the concurrent administration of testosterone to the female alleviated the condition; ovariectomy afforded no protection to the heart. Both hydrocortisone and ACTH were quite ineffective in inducing the deposition of calcium in the heart of the hypophysectomized mouse. Moreover, the administration of growth hormone with hydrocortisone or ACTH aggravated this condition. Lactogenic hormone, DOCA and estradiol had no effect.