Effects of sex hormones on synthesis of proteins contained in granules present in convoluted tubular cells of mouse submandibular glands

• Published in: Journal of biochemistry (Tokyo) 1977-08, Vol.82 (2), p.351-358
• Main Authors: HOSOI, Kazuo, UEHA, Takao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antigen-Antibody Reactions; Castration; Cytoplasmic Granules - drug effects; Cytoplasmic Granules - metabolism; Estradiol - pharmacology; Female; Male; Mice; Progesterone - pharmacology; Protein Biosynthesis; Sex Factors; Submandibular Gland - drug effects; Submandibular Gland - metabolism; Testosterone - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0021-924X; 1756-2651; 1756-2651
• DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jbchem.a131702

The rate of in vivo synthesis of the protein contained in the granules present in convoluted tubular cells of mouse submandibular glands (granule-protein synthesis) was measured with [3H]leucine and an antiserum specific to components contained in the granules (granule-components). Eight days after the castration of male mice, the rate of granule-protein synthesis decreased to half of that of normal male mice. But then, the rate of the castrated male mice increased to approximately twice as high as that of normal male mice 6 days after injection of testosterone propionate (0.4 mg/mouse) and then decreased gradually, reaching a similar value to that of normal male mice 25 days after injection. Using extracts from the glands, the rate of protein synthesis was also measured (total protein synthesis). The ratio of rate of granule-protein synthesis to total protein synthesis decreased from 0.3 to 0.1 with castration, and with the castrated male mice, it increased to 0.45 with testosterone injection, but not with l7β-estradiol. With normal female mice, the ratio was 0.09, which increased to 0.25 with testosterone injection. The rate of granule-protein synthesis and total protein synthesis in normal and castrated male mice increased with l7β-estradiol injection significantly. However, the ratio did not change with 17β-estradiol as opposed to testosterone. This indicates that testosterone stimulates granule-protein synthesis to a much greater extent than total protein synthesis with castrated male and normal female mice, whereas l7β-estradiol stimulated both syntheses in the same manner with normal male, castrated male and normal female mice. Probably, testosterone has a stimulative effect specific for granule-protein synthesis. It seems likely that the ratio reflected the action of male hormones more precisely.