[Castration affects the expression of androgen receptor and epidermal growth factor in rat submaxillary salivary gland].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of castration on the quantity of androgen receptor (AR) and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the submaxillary salivary glands of castrated rats.


METHODS
Sixty male Wistar rats, aged 30 to approximately 60 days, were randomly divided into three groups of 20 rats: castrated, sham-operated and normal control (unoperated). The submaxillary salivary glands of the castrated rats were removed one week after surgery, and so were those of the rats in the sham-operated and the normal control groups. The homogenized salivary gland was used for Western-blots.


RESULTS
The quantity of AR and EGF in the submaxillary salivary glands was decreased significantly in the castrated rats compared with that in the sham-operated and the normal control ( P < 0. 05). Moreover, EGF secreted by the submaxillary salivary glands was also decreased in the castrated rats (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Castration affected the production of androgen receptor in the salivary gland, and also, could further affect the secretion of EGF from the salivary gland.
Zhu
Yun-feng
YF
Clinical Laboratory, Zhangjiagang Hospital of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu 215600, China. tian7891@hotmail.com
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000378:metabolism*
D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor