We present data pertaining to some of the in vivo effects associated with dietary
DHEA administration to mice and rats. Dietary
DHEA leads to: (1) decrease in
body weight gain; (2) relative increases in liver weight; (3) liver color change; (4) induction of hepatic peroxisomal
enzymes; (5) proliferation of hepatic peroxisomes with increased cross-sectional area; (6) decreased hepatic mitochondrial cross-sectional area; (7) elevated levels of hepatic cytosolic malic
enzyme; (8) slight decreases, significant decreases, or significant increases in serum
triglyceride levels, depending on mouse strain; (9) increases in total serum
cholesterol levels; (10) significant decreases in the hepatic rates of
fatty acid synthesis; (11) significant increases in the hepatic rates of
cholesterol synthesis; (12) decreases in both
protein content and specific activity of hepatic mitochondrial
carbamoyl phosphate synthetase-I without concomitant changes in serum
urea nitrogen; (13) induction of
glutathione S-transferase activity in liver; (14) decrease in hepatic endogenous
protein phosphorylation; (15) increase in hepatic
AMPase and
GTPase activities; (16) formation of 5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol as a major metabolite of
DHEA by subcellular fractions of liver, which is reflected in serum and tissue levels; and (17) reduction in serum
prolactin levels.