Mouse complement: influence of sex hormones on its activity.

Sex hormones influence the hemolytic of one or more of the late-acting components of complement measured in the presence of trisodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate. The titers of the serums of male mice, normally tenfold higher than those of females, fell after castration, becoming about the same as those of females. The titers of the serums from females rose after these mice were castrated, but castration did not affect the activities of the first, second, and fourth components of complement. Serums of normal and castrated mice of both sexes treated with testosterone showed increased late-acting component activity, whereas the estrogen caused decreased activity. Treatment in vitro of mouse serum with these hormones had no effect on the activity of late-acting components.