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ALTERATIONS IN ANDROGEN RECEPTORS AND ANDROGEN RECEPTOR mRNA LEVELS IN PROSTATE GLANDS OF VITAMIN E DIFICIENT RATS WITH AND WITHOUT CASTRATION AND ANDROGEN ADMINISTRATION
Author(s) -
Chung KyungWon,
Om AeSon
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a882-c
Subject(s) - endocrinology , medicine , androgen receptor , androgen , testosterone (patch) , biology , prostate , prostate cancer , hormone , cancer
Vitamin E has been reported to be essential for germ cell development and maturation, gonadotropin secretion, steroid hormone synthesis and metabolism, and reproduction and fertility. The present study was designed to study if vitamin E deficiency changes prostate androgen receptor (AR) and AR mRNA levels. Male King‐Holtzman rats were fed with vitamin E deficient diet and control rats were fed with Purina rat chow for 3 months. Two weeks prior to autopsy, other groups of rats were castrated and administered with testosterone. Prostate tissues were obtained for determination of nuclear AR levels and quantitation of mRNA encoding androgen receptors. Total cellular RNA was prepared by guanidine thiocyanate method and determined by Northern and slot blot analyses. Prostate androgen receptor levels in vitamin E deficient rats were significantly lower than in control animals. Androgen receptor mRNA levels were decreased in vitamin E deficient rats when compared to those of normal controls. However, prostate AR and AR mRNA levels were increased following castration, whereas AR and AR mRNA levels were decreased in castrated rats with androgen administration. These findings indicate that vitamin E deficiency causes a reduction of AR levels in rats with the decline of circulating androgen levels and a decreased transcription of AR mRNA which leads to a defective translation of AR protein, suggesting an important role of dietary vitamin E on prostate AR levels, AR mRNA expression, and reproduction and fertility.