EFFECTS OF TESTOSTERONE ON GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS IN THE PROSTATE, SEMINAL VESICLES AND SALIVARY GLANDS OF THE RAT

Abstract

SUMMARY The effects of castration, and of the daily administration of 100 or 300 μg testosterone propionate (TP) for 1 month to castrated animals, on the glycosaminoglycans of the ventral prostate, seminal vesicles and salivary glands, were studied in male white rats. Castration produced atrophy of the ventral prostate and seminal vesicles together with increased concentration of uronic acid, and atrophy of the submaxillary glands together with decreased uronic acid concentration. The administration of TP to castrated animals produced opposite effects. No changes in weight or in uronic acid concentration were found in the parotid and retrolingual glands. Fractionation on cellulose microcolumns showed that the changes in uronic acid concentration were due to changes in fraction 1 (glycoproteins) in the submaxillary glands, in fractions 2 (hyaluronic acid) and 3 (heparitin sulphate) in the seminal vesicles, and in all the chromatographic fractions in the ventral prostate.