Prostaglandin synthesis is independent of androgen levels in rat male genitalia.
We examined the hypothesis that androgens influence prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis in rat male genitalia. Prostaglandin synthesis was measured on the basis of the amount of prostaglandin released per unit weight of tissue over time. On this basis, castration increased the synthesis rate of radioimmunoassayable PGE2 from 1.3 +/- 2.5 to 7.4 +/- 2.5 ng/mg protein/180 min (P less than 0.01) in slices of prostate gland, and from 8.5 +/- 1.5 to 24.9 +/- 4.1 ng/mg protein/180 min (P less than 0.01) in slices of seminal vesicle, but decreased PGE2 formation from 27.8 +/- 2.0 to 14.3 +/- 1.2 ng/mg protein/180 min (P less than 0.01) in the vas deferens. Castration had no effect on synthesis of PGE2 in slices of renal cortex or liver. The peak effect of castration for each tissue was variable, ranging from 4 to 14 days. Treatment of castrated animals with testosterone reversed the effect of castration on prostatic prostaglandin biosynthesis: control 1.62 +/- 0.26 ng/mg protein/180 min, castrate 6.05 +/- 1.10 ng/mg protein/180 min, and castrate treated with testosterone T 1.72 +/- 0.16 ng/mg protein/180 min. Testosterone administration also decreased PGE2 formation in normal (noncastrate) animals from 1.62 +/- 0.26 to 0.91 +/- 0.23 ng/mg protein/180 min (P less than 0.04). Similar patterns of stimulation or reduction in biosynthesis of PGF2 alpha and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha were also observed. When considered for the whole gland and not per slice, all the differences disappeared. These results demonstrate that the androgenic effect on the male genitalia occurs in a component of the gland that is unrelated to the production of prostaglandins and that prostaglandin synthesis is maintained despite the occurrence of widespread atrophy.
D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000378:metabolism*; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
D000728:Androgens; D011453:Prostaglandins; D013739:Testosterone; D007213:Indomethacin