Abstract
Immunocytochemical localization of glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-PO) in the ventral prostate was studied in rats under the following experimental conditions; 1) normal untreated 2) 4 weeks after castration 3) testosterone-administration to castrated, in order to clarify the role of GSH-PO. In normal untreated group, GSH-PO was predominantly observed in glandular epithelial cells of the ventral prostate. Intracellular localization of GSH-PO in the glandular epithelial cells was mainly observed in cytoplasmic matrix near the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and it was occasionally noted as a small granular structure at the supranuclear region. In the castrated animal, the intensity of GSH-PO staining in the glandular epithelial cells of atrophic prostate was markedly decreased. By testosterone-administration to the castrated animal, GSH-PO was clearly detected in the glandular epithelial cells of stimulated prostate. Intracellular localization was mainly observed in cytoplasmic matrix and the number of GSH-PO-positive granules increased remarkably as compared with those of other experimental groups.
These findings strongly suggest that GSH-PO in the glandular epithelial cells of the rat ventral prostate is testosterone-dependent, and that its staining pattern is a useful marker for testosterone action.
