Actions of Androgen and Estrogen on Collagen Levels in Male Accessory Sex Organs*

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Abstract
Investigations were initiated to elucidate the hormone dependence of collagen levels in male accessory sex organs. In rat ventral prostate (VP) and seminal vesicles (SV) the collagen content was found to increase during puberty; prepubertal castration completely prevented such increases. Treatment of prepubertal castrates with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) through puberty restored collagen in SV and VP to normal. Estrogen treatment of prepubertal castrates had no effect in VP, but provided for a subnormal stimulation in the SV. In adult castrates, the regression in SV and VP collagen was prevented by DHT treatment; estrogen had no significant effect. In all cases, the changes, or lack thereof, in collagen corresponded with changes in organ weight and DNA content. Hormone-induced changes in VP and SV collagen proved to be relatively irreversible. In prepubertal castrates, reversibilities of DHT-induced changes in SV and VP collagen were only 17% and 30%, respectively, contrasting with reversibilities in organ weight and DNA content of 70% and 90%, respectively. Estrogen effects in the SV of the prepubertal castrate were completely irreversible. Likewise, while castration of adult animals produced marked reductions in accessory sex organ weight and DNA content, collagen levels in SV and VP were reduced only 30% and 50%, respectively. Investigations into hormone-dependent imprinting of VP and SV demonstrated that prepubertal castration reduced, in adulthood, the maximum obtainable androgen-induced response in organ weight and contents of collagen and DNA. These reductions in adult responses were prevented by DHT treatment of prepubertal castrates. Estrogen treatment of prepubertal castrates partially sustained adult androgenic responses in SV but not in VP.