No abstract

Extragonadal tissues are known to produce estrogens. At these sites, the C19 precursor is important for aromatase expression for the production of estrogen. Aromatase expression is tissue-specific and is controlled by hormones. Recent studies have shown that rat gastric parietal cells expressed aromatase. Our first objective was to investigate steroidogenic enzyme expression in estrogen biosynthesis; the second objective was to investigate which site(s) of the GI tract expressed steroidogenic enzymes; and the third objective was to assess the effects of castration on steroidogenic enzyme expression. CYP19A1, 17β-HSD3, CYP17A1, 3β-HSD and P450scc were quantified in the GI tract by real-time PCR. CYP19A1 was detected mainly in the body and pyloric regions of the abomasum, while we detected weak expression of CYP19A1 in other parts of GI tract. In addition, the expression of 17β-HSD3 and CYP17A1 was detected in abomasum. 3β-HSD expression was observed in duodenum and jejunum, while P450scc was not detectable in any part of GI tract. Immunohistochemical results showed immunolocalization of aromatase in parietal cells. Aromatase expression was observed to increase after castration. Furthermore, immunohistochemical results demonstrated that parietal cells also produced luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR). These results indicate steroidogenic enzymes required for the biosynthesis of estrogen were expressed, and the abomasum appeared to be the responsible organ for estrogen biosynthesis in the goat GI tract. In addition, parietal cells were responsible for estrogen production and the expression of LHR. Castration increased aromatase expression in abomasum through LH mediation.

Varying amounts of phytosterols (PS) occur naturally in several foods of plant origin. PS, which are structurally and functionally similar to cholesterol, have been shown to reduce plasma total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels.Moreover, PS disrupts endocrine function in certain animals. In the present study, we investigated the effects of high doses of PS on adrenal and reproductive endocrine function during sexual maturation in Japanese male quails. Two experiments were conducted; in the first experiment, quail chicks were subjected to long-term chronic feeding of PS (8, 80, and 800 mg/kg body weight [BW]) and the chemicals were gavaged into the crop sac from 7-50 days post-hatching. From the forty-fourth day, half of the animals in each group were subjected to a 6-day adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge for artificial stimulation of the adrenal gland and evaluation of long-term PS effects; in the second experiment, single doses of PS were subcutaneously injected (SC) into adult males (10-weeks-old) to assess the acute direct effect. Results indicated that chronically PS-fed animals showed a better adrenal response to ACTH challenge, and the corticosterone levels were higher (P < 0.05) than those of the controls. Moreover, corticosterone levels were also high (P < 0.05) 3 h after SC injection of PS. In contrast, testosterone levels and the testes weights were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the groups chronically administered with PS. No differences were observed in the testosterone levels in the acute experiment or luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in either experiment. In conclusion, the differential effects of PS on the adrenal gland and testis might be due to preferential use of different lipoprotein-cholesterol forms for steroid production. In addition, PS might locally perturb testosterone production by its accumulation or delay in testicular maturation.