title: Inhibitors of collagen synthesis and hypophysectomy: effects on androgen induced growth of ventral prostate in rats.
abstract: To elucidate the effect of decreased amounts of collagen on prostatic growth, beta-aminopropionitrile, one of the agents that selectively inhibit collagen formation, was administered, with or without exogenous androgen and/or hypophysectomy, to rats of varying ages. The weight of the ventral prostate and the collagen content and the ratio of type III to type I collagen in the ventral prostate were examined. Administration of beta-aminopropionitrile, with or without exogenous androgen, reduced the collagen content in the ventral prostate in any age groups, but increased the weight of the ventral prostate only in young rats. Administration of beta-aminopropionitrile to hypophysectomized rats did not change the weight and collagen content. Administration of beta-aminopropionitrile prevented androgen-induced growth of prostatic collagen, resulting in increased prostatic weight in young rat. The ratio of type III to type I collagen in the rat ventral prostate remained unchanged by administration of beta-aminopropionitrile, exogenous androgen, hypophysectomy, or advancing age. It would appear that in young rats prostatic collagen plays an important role in suppressing prostatic growth. The ratio of type III to type I collagen is stable under various experimental conditions in the ventral prostate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Yamagata University, School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Izumiya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakada
mesh_terms: D000629:Aminopropionitrile / Q000494:pharmacology; D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D000629:Aminopropionitrile; D003094:Collagen