title: Effects of thyroid hormones on the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) by rat prostate glands in vitro.
abstract: It has been well known that calcitonin (CT) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are derived from the CT/CGRP gene which is localized in chromosome 11. CGRP is a 37-amino acid neuropeptide expressed predominantly in the nervous system and is one of the most potent endogenous vasodilatory peptides that have been found. Only few reports described the distribution of CGRP in reproductive organs. Moreover, the hormonal regulation of CGRP secretion is still not clear. The present study was designed to examine the presence of CGRP in rat prostates and the direct effect of thyroxine (T4) on the release of CGRP by rat prostate glands in vitro. Male rats were thyroidectomized (Tx) or sham Tx for two weeks before decapitation. The ventral prostate glands were either extracted by phosphate buffer saline or bisected and preincubated with Locke's solution containing 10 mM glucose, 0.03% bacitracin, and 0.05% Hepes at 37 degrees C for 90 min. The hemi-prostate tissues were then incubated with Locke's medium containing T4 (0 to approximately 10(-7) M) for 1 hr. After incubation, the medium was collected, and the prostate tissues were weighed. The concentration of CGRP in both medium and prostate tissue extracts were measured by a specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) developed in our laboratory. Incubation of T4 at 10(-9) M was effective to increase the release of CGRP in rat prostate glands. Incubation of rat prostate glands with T4 at 10(-7) M resulted in a maximal release of CGRP (270% of the basal). These results suggest that thyroid hormones increase CGRP release by acting directly on rat prostate glands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Life Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kau
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D013974:Thyroxine