title: Effect of swainsonine on rat epididymal glycosidases.
abstract: Each epididymis of control and swainsonine-fed rats (5 micrograms/ml drinking water) was divided into 5 segments, and tissue, spermatozoa and sperm-free supernatants were prepared from each segment. When levels of 3 lysosomal glycosidases and total protein were determined, the proximal cauda contained the greatest concentration of glycosidase. The specific-activity profile for beta-glucuronidase and beta-galactosidase was similar in swainsonine-fed and control rats. However, the concentration of alpha-D-mannosidase in tissue of all segments was significantly greater in swainsonine-fed rats than in age-matched controls. Enzyme activity for alpha-D-mannosidase after swainsonine treatment was significantly greater in spermatozoa from the caput, than in spermatozoa from the corpus and the cauda epididymidis. Since the alpha-D-mannosidase activity was optimal at pH 4.5 and studies with highly specific antibody to lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase immunoprecipitated all of the alpha-D-mannosidase present in detergent extracts of epididymal tissue, spermatozoa, and sperm-free supernatant, the enzyme studied is of lysosomal origin.
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D017026:Swainsonine
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D017026:Swainsonine