title: Gender differences and time course of castration-induced changes in porphyrins, indoles, and proteins in the Harderian glands of the Syrian hamster.
abstract: Sexual differences and the effects of orchidectomy were determined for porphyrin and melatonin concentrations and for the activities of the enzymes N-acetyltransferase and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase, which synthesize melatonin from serotonin, in the Harderian glands of the Syrian hamster. Porphyrin concentrations in intact males were about 1/400th those of intact females. Castration for 1 week increased male Harderian porphyrin concentrations 10-fold; by 3 weeks, castrated male porphyrin levels were 140 times those of control values. N-Acetyltransferase activity in intact male Harderian glands was about 4 times that of females. Castration led to a drop in N-acetyltransferase activity to female levels within 2 weeks. Hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activity was 7 times higher in females than in males and castration had no effect on male Harderian hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activity. Neither gender nor castration influenced Harderian melatonin concentrations. Soluble proteins in Harderian glands from male and female hamsters and from male hamsters castrated for 1 and 4 weeks were examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The gel profiles revealed several differences among the protein distribution in male and female gland lysates. Orchidectomy led to a female protein pattern within 4 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Buzzell
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menendez-Pelaez
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chlumecky
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D006243:Harderian Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D007211:Indoles; D011166:Porphyrins; D011506:Proteins