title: Effect of adrenalectomy and hydrocortisone on ventral prostate of rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of adrenalectomy and hydrocortisone on the ventral prostate of SD rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  In adrenalectomised (ADX) and ADX + hydrocortisone (1, 2, or 4 mg) treated rats, the prostatic histology and the cholesterol, protein, zinc, and copper levels and the enzymic profile (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, aryl sulphatase, lactic dehydrogenase, and leucine aminopeptidase) in the prostatic tissue were determined; the serum hormonal profile (testosterone, FSH and LH) was also assayed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adrenalectomy caused a progressive degeneration in prostatic structure that was not reversed by hydrocortisone treatment. The serum testosterone were significantly lower in ADX than in sham operated rats and lower in ADX + hydrocortisone than in ADX-C rats (P < 0. 01). The serum FSH and LH were below the detection limit of 1 mIU/mL. The enzymatic activity was higher in ADX than in sham operated rats and higher in ADX + hydrocortisone than in ADX-C rats (P < 0.05-0.01). The prostatic zinc levels were significantly higher in sham operated than in ADX, and higher in ADX-C than in ADX + hydrocortisone rats (P < 0.05-0.01). The prostatic copper level was significantly lower in sham operated than in ADX, and lower in ADX-C than in the ADX + hydrocortisone rats (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In rats, adrenalectomy leads to pathological and functional changes of the prostate. Hydrocortisone treatment at the doses employed did not reverse these changes.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India. priyankasharma@id.eth.net
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bedwal
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Mathur
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D013739:Testosterone; D003300:Copper; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D002784:Cholesterol; D015032:Zinc; D006854:Hydrocortisone