The levels of fructose, acid phosphatase, citric acid, zinc, maltase, testosterone, prostaglandin E, putrescine, spermidine and spermine were compared in ejaculates collected by masturbation and after coitus in the same individuals. Coitus was associated with a significantly larger semen volume and increased concentrations and total amounts of prostaglandin E and polyamines in the ejaculate. In contrast, the concentrations of the conventional glandular parameters remained relatively unaffected, although a slight dilution of the seminal vesicle contribution to the ejaculate occurred after coitus. In the majority of cases, ejaculates provided by masturbation were significantly enriched in spermatozoa, but the total contributions under both conditions remained the same. It is concluded that the assessment of semen quality in male individuals using the conventional parameters of accessory gland function can be made with ejaculates provided by masturbation or coitus.

The effects of temperature and incubation time were examined on the concentrations of the following seminal plasma constituents in ejaculates from seven healthy volunteers: prostatic acid phosphate (PAP), citric acid, testosterone, prostaglandin E (PGE), fructose, protein, putrescine and the polyamines spermidine and spermine. The results indicated that the majority of glandular products were stable up to 3 h after ejaculation when stored at room temperature, with the exception of the prostatic diamine putrescine, which appeared to undergo rapid metabolism. Prolonged periods of incubation resulted in a gradual reduction in the levels of fructose and a significant increase in the activity of PAP and the levels of spermidine. On the basis of these findings it appears that an evaluation of the functional integrity of the accessory sex glands can be carried out on semen up to 3 h after ejaculation.

The cytosol from rat ventral prostates contains two estrogen-binding components that can be separated in a glycerol gradient: a highaffinity (KD = 4.2 X lo-'' M), low-capacity

The ventral and dorsal lobes of the rat prostate contain larger quantities of the aliphatic amines putrescine, spermidine and spennine and higher activities of the enzyme omithine decarboxylase (ODC; EC 4.1.1.17) than other accessory sex glands. In contrast, the coagulating glands and the seminal vesicles contain only small quantities of the amines but the highest activities of the arginase (ARG; EC 3.5.3.1). Lineweaver-Burk plots indicated that the Km-values for ARG in the coagulating gland and ODC in the ventral prostate lobe were 20 mM and 0.2 mM, respectively. Castration decreased ODC and ARG activities to 3 and 50% of control levels, respectively, after 3 days, whilst the Kmvalues were unaffected. Daily administration of 3 mg dihydrotestosterone (DHT) prevented these castrational changes. Oestrogen treatment alone had no effect on the activities of the enzymes, but appeared to exert a synergistic effect with androgen on the ODC. Administration of androgen to intact rats for 7 days caused a dose-related alteration in the ratios of the various amines, particularly the spermine: putrescine ratio. A minor but significant decrease was also recorded in the activity of the ODC, which was mirrored by an increase in the levels of putrescine in the tissue. The data suggest that androgen control of the polyamine pathway is biphasic, first stimulatory and later inhibitory with lesions occurring at the ODC, possibly via short loop feedback of its product putrescine, but also at subsequent enzymic steps in spermidine and spermine biosynthesis. lnteraktion der Androgene mit dem Polyaminstoffwechsel der Rattenprostata Zusammenfassung: Der ventrale und dorsale Lappen der Rattenprostata enthalt grofiere Mengen an aliphatischen Aminen wie Putrescin, Spermidin und Spermin, und auch grofiere Aktivitaten des Enzyms Omithindecarboxylase (ODC; EC 4.1 .I .17) als andere accessorische Geschlechtsdriisen. Im Gegensatz dazu enthalten die Koagulationsdriisen und die Samenblasen nur geringe Mengen an Aminen, aber die hochsten Aktivitaten von Arginase (ARG; EC 3.5.3.1). Berechnungen nach Lineweaver-Burk zeigten, dai3 die Km-Werte fur ARG in der Koagulationsdriise und ODC im ventralen Prostatalappen 20 mM beziehungsweise 50% der Kontrollgruppenwerte nach 3 Tagen, wahrend die Km-Werte nicht beeinflufit waren. Die tagliche Gabe von 3 mg Dihydrotestosteron verhinderte die Veranderungen unter Kastration. Alleinige ostrogenbehandlung hatte keinen Effekt auf die Enzymaktivitaten, abei-es zeigte sich ein synergistischer Effekt zusammen mit Androgen auf die ODC. Wurden gesunde Ratten iiber 7 Tage mit Androgenen behandelt, bewirkte das eine dosisabhangige Veranderung der Aminkonzentrationen, im besonderen das Verhaltnis Sper-Androgen Interaction 135 min zu Putrescin. Ein geringer jedoch signifikanter Abfall wurde auch fur die ODC-Aktivitat registriert, welches sich in einem Anstieg der Putrescin-Werte im Gewebe widerspiegelte. Diese Daten lassen vermuten, d& die durch Androgene bewirkte Kontrolle auf den Polyaminstoffwechsel biphasisch ist, zu Begi...