Study on the expression of androgen receptor in testis, epididymis and prostate of adult rats with diabetes / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate if there is abnormal expression of androgen receptor (AR) in adult diabetic rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The diabetic model rats were induced by using streptozotocin (STZ), which were divided into three groups: control (group C), diabetes (group D) and diabetes with insulin replacement group (group ID). The mRNA and protein expressions of androgen receptor in testis, epididymis and prostate were detected by Northern blot and radioimmunoassay, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Serum testosterone levels and AR mRNA in epididymis of group D or Group ID were lower than those of group C (P <0.05) , respectively, and the protein expression of AR in testis and prostate of group D was lower than that of group C (P <0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression of androgen receptor decreased in testis, epididymis and prostate of diabetic rats, which weakened the biological effects of AR, and it might be one of the causes that resulted in the sexual and productive dysfunction in diabetic rats.</p>

Changes of 5 alpha-reductase type II activity in sexual gland of diabetic male rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To study the changes of sexual gland 5 alpha-reductase type II activity in pubertal and adult rats with diabetes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We selected 40 and 90 days old male Wistar rats as pubertal and adult animal model respectively, 30 rats in each group. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group (C), diabetic group (D) and diabetes with insulin replacement group (ID). The activity of 5 alpha-reductase type II was measured with thin layer chromatography in the epididymis, prostate and testis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>1. In all sexual glands of pubertal rats, the activity of 5 alpha-reductase type II in D group is significantly lower than that in C and ID groups. 2. In all sexual glands of adult rats. there is no difference in the activity of 5 alpha-reductase type II among these groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The activity of 5 alpha-reductase type II is likely to be influenced by metabolic environment, hormonal levels and local specific factors in pubertal rats, but it is relatively stable in adult rats.</p>