Androgen regulation of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II in the rat ventral prostate.
One of the dramatic changes in the prostate during androgen manipulation is the alteration in cellular content of total RNA - the amount of total RNA in each cell. The abundance of cellular total RNA correlates with the RNA polymerase (RNAP) activity in the prostate. One possible mechanism of androgen regulation of RNAP activity involves the regulation of RNAP expression. Western blot analysis showed that the largest subunit of the RNAP II, an essential component of the transcriptional machinery for mRNA, is indeed regulated by androgens. Castration down-regulates the protein level of RNAP II, whereas androgen replacement up-regulates the protein. However, androgen manipulation does not have consistent effects on the phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the RNAP II. Androgen regulation of the RNAP II protein expression was also observed in the seminal vesicles but not in the thymus and liver, indicating that androgen regulation of RNAP II protein expression appears to be limited to the male sex accessory organs. These observations suggest that RNAP II plays an essential role in androgen action in male sex accessory organs.
Tufts
R
R
Department of Urology, Northwestern University Medical School, Tarry 11-715, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Cyriac
J
J
Wang
Z
Z
D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D021122:Protein Subunits; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology
D000728:Androgens; D021122:Protein Subunits; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012319:RNA Polymerase II