Effects of Sex Hormones on Collagen Levels in Male Accessory Sex Organs of Rats

Kim, Joon Ho; Chai, Seo Eung

Abstract

This study was performed to elucidate the hormone dependence of collagen levels in male accessory sex organs. Sex hormones were administered to male rats with castration, and their effects on the ventral prostate and seminal vesicles were studied by changes of parameters such as organ weight, DNA and collagen contents. 1. In normal rat ventral prostate and seminal vesicles, organ weight, DNA and collagen contents were found to increase with aging. 2. After castration, all the parameters(organ weight, DNA content, and collagen content) were decreased in both ventral prostate and seminal vesicles. While castration produced marked reductions in organ weight and DNA content, collagen levels in seminal vesicles and ventral prostate were reduced only 43% and 59%, respectively. 3. in the ventral prostate, estrogen treatment of castrates had no stimulatory effects of collagen or other parameters. In contrast, estrogen treatment significantly decreased the reduction of organ weight and collagen levels in seminal vesicles, but neither collagen levels nor other parameters were restored to normal. 4. In castrates, the regression in seminal vesicles and ventral prostate collagen levels and other parameters were prevented by testosterone treatment. Since effects of combined treatment of testosterone and estrogen were not different with those of testosterone treatment, there may be no synergistic relationship between androgen and estrogen. 5. According to above results, androgen is of primary significance in collagen growth of male accessory sex organ. In castrates, estrogen has some stimulatory effects to collagen of seminal vesicle, but no stimulatory effect to collagen of ventral prostate.