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| Author(s): |
Lilian Caroline Vaz Cardoso
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | Campinas, SP. |
| Institution: | Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia |
| Defense date: | 2009-05-26 |
| Examining board members: |
Hernandes Faustino de Carvalho;
Maria Luiza Moraes Barreto de Chaves;
Paulo Pinto Joazeiro
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| Advisor: | Hernandes Faustino de Carvalho |
| Abstract | |
The androgens, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, regulate the differentiation and growth of penile structures through the androgen receptor (AR), which regulates the transcription of genes associates with several aspects of the development of male individuals. In contrast to the prostate, the AR expression in the penis of the rat falls with age according to the androgen levels reached in the adult. The presence of estrogen receptor in the penis allows the assumption that 17-â- estradiol (E2) and similar molecules have direct effect on its physiology. It is known that estrogen has an anti-androgenic effect acting on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis reducing the production of testosterone by the testes. The estrogen is essential for reproductive function in males, but the exposure to estrogen or xenobiotics during critical periods of the development has negative consequences for the reproductive tract and fertility, through a mechanism known as estrogenic imprinting. One of the effects of estrogenic imprinting caused by high doses of estrogen is defective penile development. Although controversial in the literature, this effect occurs by down regulation of androgens receptors and reduced response to androgens. To study the effect of estrogenic imprinting on penis development, Wistar rats received subcutaneous injections of 25 µL of corn oil containing E2 at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight (Putz, et al., 2001 a, b) on days 1, 3, and 5 after birth and observation of the effects on 28, 49 or 90 days after birth (prepubertal, pubertal and adulthood stages, respectively). Smooth muscle cells (SMC) and endothelial cells were isolated from the organ. For each situation, AR expression was verified by Western blotting and the localization by immunocitochemstry. Androgen receptor mRNA expression was done for the penis and SMC by Real-time PCR. In adult animals soluble collagen, hydroxyproline and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were quantified. Neonatal treatment with E2 resulted in reduction of weight and abnormal development of the penis at all ages, reduction in hydroxyproline and increase in GAGs. The AR expression increased at 28 days, but not at 90 days and in these ages the staining intensity of AR was smaller in all penile compartments. In SMC, AR expression exhibited a different expression pattern when cultured with or without T. In endothelial cells, the AR expression increased on day 28, reducing in the other ages, but without difference in comparison to control, what leds us to believe that endothelial cells do not interfere in the reduction AR expression after sexual maturation. The neonatal treatment with E2 leds to abnormal penile development what may be related to an alteration of AR expression in the organ and in their SMC and endothelial cells. (AU) | |