title: Presence of alpha-glucosidases in the male reproductive system of the rat and hormonal influences.
abstract: The use of a synthetic substrate (p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-glucoside) to measure alpha-glucosidase activity has allowed us to demonstrate the presence of acid and neutral alpha-glucosidases in the reproductive organs of the male rat. Both enzymes increased in the epididymis, particularly in the caput segment, along with initiation of spermatogenesis at puberty; it then started decreasing after 12 weeks of life. Similar variations were not recorded in testis, prostate, and seminal vesicles. Castration led to a significant decrease of acid and neutral alpha-glucosidases in all accessory reproductive organs, but administration of testosterone proprionate (50 micrograms/day for 10 days) restored the enzyme activity to its original level. When estradiol-17 beta (5 mg) was administered simultaneously with testosterone (500 micrograms), the antagonistic effect of estradiol on testosterone was particularly evident on the levels of neutral alpha-glucosidases which reached the castration range, while the acid alpha-glucosidase remained unchanged in epididymis, prostate, and seminal vesicles. These results show that both acid and neutral alpha-glucosidases may be influenced by gonadal hormones in the male rat.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D005959:Glucosidases / Q000032:analysis*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D005959:Glucosidases; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases