title: Effects of protein synthesis inhibitor and antimicrotubular agent on transepithelial movement of 3H-androgens in the rat caput epididymis.
abstract: The effects of protein synthesis inhibition and disassembly of microtubules in the epididymal epithelia on proluminal movement of 3H-androgens were investigated by using in vivo microperifusion of 3H-testosterone and subsequent micropuncture to obtain peritubular and intraluminal fluids of caput epididymal tubules. Cycloheximide (100 micrograms/ml) was used as protein synthesis inhibitor. Nocodazole (3 micrograms/ml) was used to depolymerize microtubules in the cell. The perifusion fluid was Minimum Essential Medium containing 26.7 microCi/ml 3H-testosterone and 1.3 microCi/ml 14C-polyethyleneglycol (14C-PEG), or the same fluid supplemented with cycloheximide or nocodazole. Radioactivity of 3H-androgen and 14C-PEG in perifusion and intraluminal fluids was determined at one hour after initiation of the sustaining perifusion, and the percentage of radioactivity of 3H-androgen and 14C-PEG appearing in the intraluminal fluid to that in the peritubular fluid was determined. Proluminal movement of 3H-androgens into the caput epididymal tubules in the control rats was 323.4 +/- 73.2%. This value was significantly reduced to 121.8 +/- 13% by addition of cycloheximide to the perifusion fluid (p < 0.01). Transepithelial movement of 3H-androgen in the caput epididymis was significantly decreased to 86.6 +/- 5.3% by exposure of the epididymal tubules to nocodazole (p < 0.01). Inhibition of protein synthesis and disassembly of microtubules in the epididymal epithelial cells completely eliminated antigrade proluminal movement of 3H-androgen into the tubules. Study of the incorporation of 35S-Methionine into epididymal tissue protein revealed significant reduction of the quantity of radiolabeled proteins in the perifused tissue with fluid containing cycloheximide (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hibi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyake
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000378:metabolism; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects*; D015739:Nocodazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000378:metabolism; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D013739:Testosterone; D003513:Cycloheximide; D008715:Methionine; D015739:Nocodazole