title: Could α1-adrenoceptors and androgen receptors be modified by sexual maturation and testosterone in the rat testicular capsule?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Testicular capsule contractile dysfunctions are recognized to contribute to male infertility, but the influence of sexual maturation and exogenous testosterone on the expression and function of androgen receptor and α1-adrenoceptors on rat testicular capsule is unclear. Here, these two biological parameters were evaluated on testicular capsule from sexually immature and young adult rats treated or not with exogenous testosterone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats (45- and 60-day-old) were assigned into groups: control (saline 0.9%) or testosterone-treated (propionate testosterone). Testicular capsule was isolated and processed for functional studies, immunohistochemistry, Western blot and RT-PCR studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative testicular capsule wet weight was not affected by sexual maturation or exogenous testosterone treatment. The expression and immunolocalization of androgen receptor (mRNA and protein) was identified in testicular capsule. Androgen receptor and α1-adrenoceptor (Adra1a, Adra1b, and Adra1d) mRNA levels were similar in testicular capsule from all experimental groups. Functional studies indicated that contractions produced by noradrenaline in testicular capsule from 45- and 60-day-old rats treated or not with testosterone were mainly mediated by α1A- and α1B-adrenoceptors. The L-type Ca(2+) channel blocker nifedipine induced a higher inhibitory effect on noradrenaline induced contractions in testicular capsule from 45- than 60-day-old rats treated with testosterone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Molecular studies, immunohistochemistry and pharmacological functional assays used in this study provide evidences of the androgen receptor expression in testicular capsule and that function, and not mRNA and protein expression levels of the α1-adrenoceptor subtypes in this tissue, is differentially influenced by the rat androgen status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), 04044-020 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Neide Hyppolito
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Jurkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), 04044-020 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Afonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caricati-Neto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), 04044-020 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana Ferreira
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Verde
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), 04044-020 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), 04044-020 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edilson Dantas
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: da Silva Junior
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), 04044-020 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Haydée Rezende
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Reuter
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), 04044-020 São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: (aron.farm@epm.br).
authors.forename: Aron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jurkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), 04044-020 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Christina Werneck
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Avellar
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology*; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone; D009543:Nifedipine; D009638:Norepinephrine
keywords: Adrenoceptors; Androgen regulation; Sympathetic transmission; Testicular capsule