Effect of diethylstilbestrol on polyamine metabolism in hamster epididymis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of diethylstilbestrol (DES), one of the most potent endocrine disruptors, on the metabolism of polyamines in hamster epididymis.


METHODS
Male golden hamsters of 7-week-old were kept under a light and dark cycle of 14 h and 10 h for 1 week to stimulate maximally the gonadal function. DES was injected subcutaneously at doses of 0.01 mg . kg(-1) . day(-1), 0.1 mg . kg(-1) . day(-1) and 1 mg . kg(-1) . day(-1) for one week.


RESULTS
DES treatment caused a significant decrease in the weight of epididymis. The activity of epididymal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) increased 1 day after DES treatment, kept at a high level for 4 days and then decreased to nearly normal level at day 7. The activity of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) also increased transiently after DES treatment. The contents of putrescine, spermidine, spermine and N(1)-acetylspermidine were increased 1 day approximately 4 days after DES treatment and restored to normal at day 7. All these changes showed a marked difference between the caput and the cauda.


CONCLUSIONS
The polyamine biosynthesis in the hamster epididymis can be affected by DES, a xenoestrogen. DES may probably affect polyamine metabolism in the epididymis by regulating the rate-limiting enzymes involved in the polyamine biosynthesis.
Qiu
Chun-Hong
CH
Department of Biochemistry, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Mibu, 321-0293 Tochigi, Japan.
Ohe
Masato
M
Matsuzaki
Shigeru
S
D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D011700:Putrescine / Q000378:metabolism; D013095:Spermidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D013096:Spermine / Q000378:metabolism; D000099228:Diamine N-Acetyltransferase
D000123:Acetyltransferases; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; D011073:Polyamines; D011700:Putrescine; D013095:Spermidine; D013096:Spermine; D000099228:Diamine N-Acetyltransferase; C017988:N(1)-acetylspermidine