Influence of anti-androgens on the anterior horn cells of rat spinal cord: morphometric and in-situ hybridization studies.
To examine the roles of the androgens for growth and maintenance of anterior horn cells (AHCs) of the spinal cord, one of the two anti-androgen agents, flutamide or cyproterone, was injected into young rats. Morphometric analysis of the spinal cords after the injections showed that the average area occupied by an AHC was significantly smaller in the rats treated with the anti-androgens than in the controls. By contrast, neurons in the posterior horns did not show significant difference in their size. Moreover, an in-situ hybridization of choline acetyltransferase (CAT) messenger RNA revealed a significant reduction in the signal density in AHCs in the treated rats. These results show that androgens play an important role in the growth and maintenance of AHCs, and influence a wide range of protein synthesis, including that of CAT.
Matsubara
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S
Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Fuchu, Japan. t-mtbrs@tmin.ac.jp
Hirai
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D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000870:Anterior Horn Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D048429:Cell Size; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D003534:Cyproterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005485:Flutamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005485:Flutamide; D003534:Cyproterone; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase