The cutaneous alterations of castrated and intact female Wistar rats kept under a hypothyroidism state for 120 days were studied. Two euthyroid groups, one castrated and other intact, served as controls. Ventral abdominal and dorsal thoracic skin sections were stained by HE, PAS, alcian blue, picro-sirius red-polarized light and Verhoeff. Epidermis and sebaceous glands atrophy, partial or total reduction of elastic fibrils and type III dermal collagen were observed in both hypothyroidism and castration. Delay in hair follicle growth and hyperkeratosis were only observed when deficiency of thyroid hormones was present, independent of gonadal function. The association of hypothyroidism and castration was characterized by ventral abdominal epidermis atrophy, thickening and hyperplasia of dorsal thoracic epidermis, dermis atrophy with loss of elastic fibrils and type III collagen. In conclusion, ovarian steroids or thyroid hormones deficiency modifies all the components of the skin and that the injuries are aggravated in the association hypothyroidism-castration.
rat; skin; hypothyroidism; castration
