Glycosaminoglycan profile in bladder and urethra of castrated rats treated with estrogen, progestogen, and raloxifene.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to evaluate the action of conjugated equine estrogens alone, medroxyprogesterone, the combination of these estrogens with progestogens, and of raloxifene on the glycosaminoglycan profile in the bladder and urethra of adult oophorectomized rats in comparison with noncastrated rats.


METHODS
Sixty adult rats, of which 50 were submitted to bilateral oophorectomy, were studied. After 4 days, the latter were assigned to five groups of 10 animals each. For 30 consecutive days the following treatments were given: group 1, conjugated equine estrogens; group 2, conjugated equine estrogens combined with medroxyprogesterone acetate; group 3, medroxyprogesterone; group 4, raloxifene; and group 5, placebo. Thereafter the bladders and urethras of the animals were removed, processed to yield a dry powder of which the sulfated glycosaminoglycan content was determined by densitometry after agarose gel electrophoresis and that of hyaluronic acid by a fluorimetric assay.


RESULTS
Glycosaminoglycans found in the bladder and urethra were dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate, and hyaluronic acid. In the bladder, hypoestrogenism or replacement with estrogens led to a lower sulfated glycosaminoglycan content. Replacement with estrogens and/or medroxyprogesterone reverted this effect. Hypoestrogenism decreased the dermatan sulfate/heparan sulfate ratio and reduced hyaluronic acid content. Estrogen therapy reverted this alteration and medroxyprogesterone addition annulled the estrogenic effect. In the urethra, castration did not alter hyaluronic acid content and sulfated glycosaminoglycan content, but raloxifene decreased the latter.


CONCLUSIONS
Castrated rats had a decrease in sulfated glycosaminoglycans and hyaluronic acid content in the bladder. Hormonal replacement altered the quantity and quality of glycosaminoglycans. In the urethra, raloxifene reduced sulfated glycosaminoglycans.
de Deus
José M
JM
Departments of Gynecology and Biochemistry, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Girão
Manoel J B C
MJ
Sartori
Marair G F
MG
Baracat
Edmund C
EC
Rodrigues de Lima
Geraldo
G
Nader
Helena B
HB
Dietrich
Carl P
CP
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000032:analysis*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011336:Probability; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014521:Urethra / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D004967:Estrogens; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride; D011374:Progesterone