Aromatase activity and progesterone metabolism in ovaries of scorbutic mutant rats unable to synthesize ascorbic acid.

Aromatase activity and progesterone metabolism were studied in ovaries of scorbutic ODS rats hereditarily unable to synthesize ascorbic acid (AsA). When ODS rats were kept on an AsA-deficient diet for 23 days, the scurvy developed with undetectable levels of AsA in ovaries. A significant increase in ovarian aromatase activity was observed in scorbutic ODS rats. However, there was no difference in the production of testosterone from progesterone between ovaries of scorbutic and ascorbutic ODS rats. These data suggest that AsA may play a role as a modulator of aromatase activity in vivo.