title: Testicular control of prostaglandin E2 production in rat vas deferens.
abstract: Orchidectomy decreased and testosterone (T) replacement restored prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentrations in adult rat vas deferens. To explain this finding, phospholipase A (PLase-A) and PG synthetic activity were studied in vas tissue from 9-week-old rats orchidectomized with or without T replacement as well as in rats in which the cauda epididymidis was ligated. PG synthetic activity fell to 3% of intact levels in 14-day castrate rats and was restored to normal by T replacement. Although vas PLase-A activity was also significantly (P less than 0.01) reduced to 38% of the control level in 14-day castrate rats, this change appears in part to reflect a castration-related increase in endogenous phospholipid concentrations. Further, T replacement only partially restored PLase-A activity to 59% of intact levels. Ligation of the cauda epididymidis in intact rats reduced vas PLase-A activity to castrate levels without altering vas T concentration. These results demonstrate both a direct effect of T on the biosynthesis of PGs in rat vas deferens as well as a paracrine effect, which appears to be mediated by a factor(s) other than T. These data suggest the existence of a new mechanism through which testicular products contribute to the function of the vas deferens.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015232:Dinoprostone; D004822:Epididymis / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010743:Phospholipids; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D013739:Testosterone; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D010741:Phospholipases A; D015232:Dinoprostone