New Androgen-Stimulated Proteins in the Kidneys of Female Mice*

Abstract

Testosterone administration to female mice for 25 days produced a 70% increase in total kidney protein in both A/J and C57BL/6J mice. This is in contrast to the known androgen-responsive proteins, such as beta-glucuronidase and alcohol dehydrogenase, which each represent less than 1% of the total kidney proteins even after maximum stimulation. To investigate this discrepancy, we initiated a study to identify major proteins which increase with androgen treatment. Three new cytoplasmic proteins designated T1, T2, and T3 were found in different subcellular fractions of both A/J and C57BL/6J mice. T1 (43,000 daltons) and T2 (60,000 daltons) were found in the mitochondrial-lysosomal fraction of 25-day androgen-treated mice. T3 (54,000 daltons) was found in the microsomal fraction. Each of these proteins increased several-fold during androgen treatment, so that they were easily identified using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. By contrast, no major changes were noted in the soluble proteins. A nonhistone chromosomal protein of 54,000 mol wt (T4) was found in chromatin preparations from androgen-stimulated A/J mice. Additional studies with androgen-insensitive Tfm/Y mice and with various hormones indicated that stimulation of the T proteins was dependent on androgenic steroid and a functional androgen receptor.

Side Effects of AAS Abuse: An Overview

“…Many studies conducted on animal models reported that AAS administration induce renal hypertrophy: Mills et al reported that testosterone administration to female mice for 25 days produced a 70% increase in total kidney protein [175]. These findings are coherent with those of Hoseini et al [176] who observed a significant increase in the weight of the kidneys of mice treated with nandrolone; in particular they observed tubular hypertrophy in the treated animals which could be explained by the high expression of androgen receptors within the kidney in the proximal tubule cells as reported by Chang et al [177] and by the fact that the main action of androgens is the stimulation of cell growth including hypertrophy and hyperplasia.…”