In studies performed on male Wistar rats, castration induced atrophy of the prostate with a marked increase in the uronic acid content. The administration of testosterone propionate to castrated rats produced opposite effects. Fractionation of the glycosaminoglycans on cellulose microcolumns showed that the changes in uronic acid content in the dorsolateral lobes were due to variations in hyaluronic acid, chondroitin-4-sulfate, and dermatan sulfate, but in the ventral lobes, there were changes in all the chromatographic fractions. There were also changes in the physical properties of proteoglycans. In the ventral lobes, castration induced a wider distribution of molecular weight, increased density, and predominance of lateral chains of greater size. In the dorsolateral lobes, there was a decrease in molecular weight and density of proteoglycans and in the length of lateral chains. Opposite results were obtained when testosterone propionate was given to castrated rats. It is postulated that the effects of androgens upon prostatic growth would depend on an interrelationship between epithelium and stroma mediated by the proteoglycans.
Isolation and caracterization of glycosaminoglycans were performed in uteri and salivary glands of castrated and normal female rats and in castrated female rats receiving daily doses of 1 or 10 μg of oestradiol benzoate. The uronic acid concentration in the uterus was increased by castration and decreased by the administration of oestradiol benzoate but due to the changes in uterine weight the uronic acid content of each uterus was decreased by castration and increased by oestradiol benzoate. Chromatographic separation of glycosaminoglycans was performed on cellulose microcolumns. The concentration of each glycosaminoglycan fraction was increased by castration and decreased by oestradiol benzoate. No changes in the uronic acid concentration or total glandular content or in the chromatographic distribution of the fractions were found in the parotid, submaxillary or retrolingual glands.
The isolation and characterization of glycosaminoglycans was performed in uterus and submaxillary glands of castrated female rats receiving daily doses of 20 or 200 JJg of acetoxyprogesterone and 100 or 1000 JJg of progesterone. Chromatographic separation of glycosaminoglycans was performed on cellulose microcolumns. The uronic acid concentration in the uterus was decreased by acetoxyprogesterone. in every chromatographic fraction, but not by progesterone. The uronic •This work was partly supported by research grants from the University of Buenos Aires and from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Argentina.
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