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Changes in serum α 2u ‐globulin levels in castrated male rats treated with testosterone propionate in a Hershberger assay
Author(s) -
Takeyoshi Masahiro,
Mitoma Hideo,
Yamasaki Kanji
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of applied toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.784
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1099-1263
pISSN - 0260-437X
DOI - 10.1002/jat.1038
Subject(s) - testosterone propionate , endocrinology , medicine , globulin , androgen , testosterone (patch) , dose , hormone
The Hershberger assay has been proposed as a candidate screening test method for the detection of androgenic and anti‐androgenic chemicals and is being validated presently under the test guideline programme of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Rat α 2u ‐globulin is male rat‐specic protein appearing in their serum and urine, and the protein is known to be induced by androgens. We investigated the usefulness of measuring serum α 2u ‐globulin levels as a parameter for the androgenic activity of chemicals tested in the Hershberger assay. The serum α 2u ‐globulin level was measured after the administration of testosterone propionate at dosages of 0, 20, 100 or 500 µg kg −1 day −1 for ten consecutive days in the castrated male rats. The ventral prostate, balbocavernosus[sol ]levator ani muscles, glans penis and Cowper's gland were collected and weighed. Although all the androgen‐responsive organ weights were increased signicantly at dosages of 100 and 500 µg kg −1 day −1 , the serum α 2u ‐globulin level was increased signicantly only at a dosage of 500 µg kg −1 day −1 . These results show that the serum α 2u ‐globulin level may be a useful biomarker for detecting androgenic activity caused by test chemicals, but it is less sensitive than the organ weights of androgen‐responsive tissues in the Hershberger assay. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.