title: Effect of photoperiod and gonadectomy on testosterone metabolism in vitro by the prostate of the golden hamster.
abstract: Testosterone metabolism was studied in vitro in the prostate of intact and castrated golden hamsters maintained either in short days (8 h light: 16 h darkness, 8L: 16D) or in long days (14L: 10D). Testosterone was found to be converted into 17 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-androstan-3-one (5 alpha-DHT), 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol, 5 alpha-androstane-3, 17-dione and androstenedione. The mean conversion of testosterone to 5 alpha-DHT was higher in prostates from animals maintained in long days than in short days (P less than 0.0025) while that to androstenedione was higher in short days (P less than 0.0005); no significant changes in the formation of the other three metabolites were noted. Castration of animals maintained in short days resulted in a significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in the mean conversion to all four metabolites. In contrast, castration of animals kept in a long-day regime caused a significant (P less than 0.01) decrease in the mean formation of 5 alpha-DHT but a significant (P less than 0.05) increase in the mean formation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol.
mesh_terms: D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol / Q000378:metabolism; D000731:Androstanes / Q000378:metabolism; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D006224:Cricetinae; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010507:Periodicity; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000731:Androstanes; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; C033936:androstane