TESTOSTERONE METABOLISM IN SUBCELLULAR FRACTIONS OF RAT PROSTATE

Abstract

ABSTRACT Homogenates of rat ventral prostates were fractionated into the nuclear (purified from the precipitate at 800× g), mitochondrial (precipitate at 1000–6000 ×g), microsomal (precipitate at 10 000–105 000× g) and cytosol (supernatant fluid at 105 000 × g) fractions, which were morphologically identified under an electron-microscope. Among the subcellular fractions, the highest specific activity of Δ4-5α-hydrogenase was localized in the nuclear and microsomal fractions, while 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (E. C. 1. 1. 1.50) activity was concentrated exclusively in the cytosol fraction. By addition of the cytosol fraction, the Δ4-5α-hydrogenase activity in the microsomal fraction was markedly reduced, whereas the activity in the nuclear fraction was scarcely inhibited. By heating the cytosol fraction at 100°C for 20 min, its inhibitory effect was significantly diminished. The inhibitory principle in the cytosol fraction against the Δ4-5α-hydrogenase was mostly concentrated in the precipitate at 0–60% saturation of ammonium sulphate, while the major activity of the 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was localized in the precipitate at 40–100% saturation of the salt. According to the enzyme kinetics, the cytosol 0–40 % fraction showed the competitive type of inhibition with the Δ4-5α-hydrogenase activity in the microsomal fraction for testosterone.