Abstract
Steroid production and enzyme activities were examined in preparations of whole testis tissue, isolated interstitial tissue and seminiferous tubules obtained from adult rats with intact pituitaries receiving daily subcutaneous injections of 100 I.U. human chorionic gonadotropin for 5 days and from control animals. After human chorionic gonadotropin administration testosterone concentrations were increased in total homogenates of whole testis tissue, interstitial tissue and seminiferous tubules. The testosterone production from endogenous precursors was enhanced only in total homogenates of whole testis tissue and interstitial tissue obtained from testes of human chorionic gonadotropintreated rats. The production of testosterone in the corresponding homogenates of isolated seminiferous tubules was very low. The specific activity of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was increased in total homogenates of whole testis tissue, isolated interstitial tissue and seminiferous tubules. No effect was observed on the specific activities of marker enzymes such as cytochrome c oxidase, monoamine oxidase, steroid sulfatase and lactate dehydrogenase, whereas the specific activities of carboxyl esterase were decreased in homogenates of whole testis tissue and interstitial tissue. Total activity of monoamine oxidase was increased in homogenates of interstitial tissue of testes from human chorionic gonadotropin treated rats. After the same prolonged human chorionic gonadotropin treatment the concentration of pregnenolone was increased in mitochondrial fractions of whole testis tissue, interstitial tissue and seminiferous tubules, and the amount of protein isolated in the mitochondrial fraction of interstitial tissue increased by 40%. Steroid production (estimated as pregnenolone) from endogenous precursors by mitochondrial fractions of whole testis tissue and interstitial tissue were increased after human chorionic gonadotropin treatment, for whole testis from 580 pmol/mg mitochondrial protein per h to 1420 pmol/mg per h; and for interstitial tissue from 2665 pmol/mg per h to 7050 pmol/mg per h. The production of pregnenolone in mitochondrial fractions obtained from isolated seminiferous tubules was very low and contributed hardly at all to the total pregnenolone production in mitochondrial fractions of whole testis tissue from normal rats as well as from human chorionic gonadotropin-treated rats.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)/Lipids and Lipid Metabolism
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
