Gender differences and time course of castration-induced changes in porphyrins, indoles, and proteins in the Harderian glands of the Syrian hamster

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Abstract
Sexual differences and the effects of orchidectomy were determined for porphyrin and melatonin concentrations and for the activities of the enzymes N-acetyltransferase and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase, which synthesize melatonin from serotonin, in the Harderian glands of the Syrian hamster. Porphyrin concentrations in intact males were about 1/400th those of intact females. Castration for 1 week increased male Harderian porphyrin concentrations 10-fold; by 3 weeks, castrated male porphyrin levels were 140 times those of control values. N-Acetyltransferase activity in intact male Harderian glands was about 4 times that of females. Castration led to a drop in N-acety transferase activity to female levels within 2 weeks. Hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activity was 7 times higher in females than in males and castration had no effect on male Harderian hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activity. Neither gender nor castration influenced Harderian melatonin concentrations. Soluble proteins in Harderian glands from male and female hamsters and from male hamsters castrated for 1 and 4 weeks were examined by sodium docecyl sulfate – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The gel profiles revealed several differences among the protein distribution in male and female gland lysates. Orchidectomy led to a female protein pattern within 4 weeks.Key words: hamsters, Harderian glands, sexual dimorphism, hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase, melatonin, N-acetyl-transferase, porphyrins, proteins, SDS-PAGE.

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