1997 Volume 10 Issue 4 Pages 229-232
Immunolocalization of glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-PO) in the rat ventral prostate was investigated under the presence or absence of androgen. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four experimental groups. Group 1 consisted of intact controls. In group 2, rats were sacrificed two days after castration. In groups 3 and 4, rats were administered subcutaneously l mg/animal of testosterone-propionate daily for three or seven days after two days of castration. The intensity of GSH-PO staining in the glandular epithelial cells of the ventral prostate was remarkably decreased after castration (group 2), and that it was clearly recovered by testosterone-administration to the castrated rats (groups 3 and 4). Furthermore, the levels of the prostatic GSH-PO mRNA were remarkably diminished in the castrated rat ventral prostate (group 2), and that it was markedly increased by testosterone-administration to the castrated rats (groups 3 and 4). These findings strongly suggest that expression of GSH-PO in the glandular epithelial cells of the rat ventral prostate is considered to be testosterone-dependent.
