The Effect of Hypophysectomy on Testicular Hydrolases, Lactate Dehydrogenase, and Spermatogenesis in the Rat

Abstract

Hypophysectomy of the adult male rat depressed testis and seminal vesicle weight between 4 and 8 days after hypophysectomy.The activity of soluble acid proteinase (E.C. 3.4.4.23) and ,B-glucuronidase (E.C. 3.2.1.31) increased between 8 and 16 days after the operation, while that for acid phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.2) increased until 16 days after hypophysectomy and then decreased to the end of the experiment.There was an increase in the total acid proteinase and ,B-glucuronidase activity per gram testis between 8 and 16 days after hypophysectomy; there was no change in the total activity of acid phosphatase per gram testis until 16-32 days after treatment, when there was a decrease. After hypophysectomy there was a decrease in acid phosphatase activity per testis after 16 days, and acid proteinase activity per testis after 8 days, while there was an increase in both free and total ,B-glucuronidase activity per testis after 16 days. A decrease in lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme (LDH-X) activity in the testis occurred between 8 and 16 days after the operation.Histochemical evidence showed an increase in acid phosphatase activity in the seminiferous tubules 4-8 days after hypophysectomy, which coincided with a decrease in the yield of round spermatids from late primary sperma tocytes and of long spermatids from round spermatids.It is concluded that lysosomal enzymes of Sertoli cell origin are important in testicular degeneration and, probably, in normal spermatogenesis. Acid phosphatase and acid proteinase are found mainly in spermatocytes and spermatids, while ,B-glucuronidase is found mainly in the Sertoli cells and spermatogonia. LDH-X occurs in the seminiferous tubular epithelium associated with late primary spermatocytes and spermatids.

Involvement of Lysosomal Enzymes in Flutamide-Induced Stimulation of Rat Testis

“…Differential distribution of lysosomal enzymes in the testis have been reported. An activity of acid phosphatase was demonstrated in the nuclei of spermatogenic cells (Dempsey -1948) while the activity of beta glucuronidase was observed in Sertoli cells and spermatogonia, and almost none in pachytene spermatocytes (Elkington et al -1973). The activity of acid phosphatase was also localized in the heterogeneous dense granules of the hamster Leydig cells (Yu et al -1977).…”

Distribution pattern of testicular sulphydryloxidase immuno‐activity in the djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) during photoperiodically induced involution and recrudescence

“…, 1969) and its disappearance and reappearance coincide with the cessation and initiation of spermatogenesis during photoperiodically induced testicular involution and recrudescence (Gutierrez et al, 1972). Additionally, LDH-X activity decreases in testes of hypophysectomized rats (Elkington et al, 1972) are similar to the loss of SOX immuno-activity mentioned above.…”

Testosterone Propionate Induced Changes in Testicular Phosphatases of Musk Shrew (Suncus murinus L.)/Testosteronpropionatinduzierte Veränderungen der Hoden-Phosphatasen von Bisammaus (Suncus murinus L.)

“…It has been also observed that acid phosphatase activity is increased in maturing rat testis with a concomitant increase in germinal cells (Males and Turkington -1971). Elkington et al (1973) andrologia 21, No. 4 (1989) reported that hypophysectomy to rats resulted in an elevation in testicular acid phosphatase and P-glucuronidase activities with a concomitant decrease in spermatocyte counts.…”