title: Effects of Exposure to Estradiol Benzoate or Flutamide at the Weaning Age on Expression of Connexins in the Caudal Epididymis of Adult Rat.
abstract: The present research was chiefly designed to determine the effect of the treatment of estrogenic agonist, estradiol benzoate (EB), or antiandrogenic compound, flutamide (Flu), at the weaning age on the expression of connexin (Cx) isoforms in the caudal epididymis of adult male rat. Animals were subcutaneously administrated with a single shot of either EB at a low-dose (0.015 µg of EB/kg body weight (BW)) or a high-dose (1.5 µg of EB/kg BW) or Flu at a low-dose (500 µg of EB/kg BW) or a high-dose (5 mg of EB/kg BW). Expressional changes ofCxisoforms in the adult caudal epididymis were examined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The treatment of a low-dose EB caused significant increases ofCx30.3,Cx31,Cx32, andCx43 transcript levels but reduction ofCx31.1,Cx37, andCx45 expression. Exposure to a high-dose EB resulted in very close responses observed in a low-dose EB treatment, except no significant expressional change ofCx37 and a significant induction ofCx40. Expression of allCxisoforms, exceptCx45, was significantly increased by a low-dose Flu treatment. Expressional increases of allCxisoforms were detected by a high-dose Flu treatment. The current study demonstrates that a single exposure to estrogenic or antiandrogenic compound during the early postnatal developmental period is sufficient to disrupt normal expression ofCxisoforms in the adult caudal epididymis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Eulji University, Daejeon 301-746, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Caudal epididymis; Connexin; Estradiol benzoate; Flutamide; Gene expression; Real-time PCR