Androgen-induced accretion of ribonucleic acids in kidney of female mouse ( Mus musculus)

Abstract

1. 1. Treatment with testosterone propionate (1 mg/animal in 2-day intervals) induced an accumulation of ribonucleic acids in kidney of female mice. Weight ratios of high mol. wt RNA to DNA rose from 1.15 ± 0.11(SDM) in controls to 1.71 ± 0.3 (SDM) after 7 days of the treatment, and even to 2.4 after 14 days. These values equalled or exceeded RNA/DNA ratios in kidney of male mice. Treatment with progesterone under similar conditions did not induce any increase in RNA/ DNA ratios, or in concentration of nucleic acids in kidney of female mice. 2. 2. The labelling of RNA with orthophosphate- 32P over 24-hr intervals was significantly higher in kidney of treated mice at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 11 days after commencement of the androgen treatment, while the labelling of total acid-soluble phosphates, or of α-phosphate of acid-soluble adenosine nucleotides, was not significantly changed in comparison to controls. Thus, the synthesis of RNA was apparently increased in kidney of treated animals. 3. 3. The half-life of kidney ribosomal RNA was 4.10 ± 0.26 (SDM) days in controls, and 5.68 ± 0.75 (SDM) days in androgen-treated females, as determined in 4 kinetic experiments. The conservation of kidney RNAs was therefore also increased after treatment with testosterone. 4. 4. The labelling of DNA with orthophosphate- 32P over 24-hr intervals was not increased significantly in any period of the hormonal treatment. DNA content per gram kidney weight was consistently somewhat lower in kidney of treated females, while DNA content per organ followed changes in organ weight. 5. 5. From the above data, it is concluded that the increased accretion of kidney RNA in female mice after treatment with testosterone reflects both increased synthesis and decreased degradation, most of the surplus RNA being apparently accumulated in pre-formed kidney cells.