HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gray, K. T Articles by Ventura, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gray, K. T Articles by Ventura, S.

Prostate Research Co-operative, Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia ¹ Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia

(Correspondence should be addressed to S Ventura; Email: sab.ventura{at}vcp.monash.edu.au)

This investigation aimed to see whether a change in the oestrogen to androgen ratio alters prostate contractility. Isolated organ bath studies using prostates from aromatase knockout (ArKO) mice which were homozygous (ArKO–/–) and heterozygous (ArKO+/–) for the disrupted aromatase cyp19 gene and wild-type littermates (ArKO+/+) were conducted. The distribution of noradrenergic nerves was visualized using the sucrose–potassium phosphate–glyoxylic acid method. ArKO–/– mice had increased prostate weights compared with ArKO+/+ mice. Frequency–response curves to electrical field stimulation (EFS; 0.5 ms pulse duration, 60 V, 0.1–20 Hz) yielded frequency-dependent contractions, while noradrenaline (10 nM–1 mM) and tyramine (1 µM–1 mM) produced concentration-dependent contractions. Prazosin (0.3 µM) attenuated the responses induced by noradrenaline and EFS in all mice (P0.019, n=5–7), while cocaine (10 µM) attenuated the responses evoked by tyramine (P<0.001, n=6). There were no genotype differences in EFS- and noradrenaline-induced responses (P0.506, n=10–13). Prostates from ArKO–/– and ArKO+/– mice were more sensitive to tyramine than prostates from ArKO+/+ mice (P<0.001, n=11–13). Dense adrenergic innervation of the prostate was similar in all mice. These results suggest that although the absence of aromatase increases prostatic growth, this translates only to a subtle and selective increase in contractility in mature mice.