In vitro synthesis of androgens by testicular tissue of rat deficient in essential fatty acids.

Abstract

Summary. Slices of testes from normal rats and rats fed diets deficient in essential fatty acids (EFA) were incubated with [1-14C]acetate, [7α-3H]cholesterol and [4-14C]progesterone as substrates. Incorporation of activity in testosterone and androstenedione was measured. With [1-14C]acetate and [7α-3H]cholesterol as substrates there was an approximate doubling in the yield of testosterone and androstenedione in the testes of EFA-deficient rats, but with [4-14C]progesterone as substrate the differences between groups were not marked. It is postulated that increased biosynthesis of androgens (from acetate and cholesterol substrates) in EFA-deficient animals is perhaps due to structural changes in the mitochondrial wall causing increased permeability of the substrate to the mitochondrial enzymes. No change in the yield of androgens with [4- 14C]progesterone as precursor is perhaps due to non-involvement of mitochondria for synthesis of progesterone→androgens in the rat testis.