EFFECT OF MODERATE ZINC DEFICIENCY ON TESTOSTERONE AND ANDROGEN RECEPTOR IN EPIDIDYMIS

FERNÁNDEZ MR; GATICA LV; PEREZ CHACA MV; BIAGGIO VS; GOMEZ NN; GIMENEZ MS

Rosario - Santa Fe

Congreso; SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE INVESTIGACION BIOQUIMICA Y BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR (SAIB); 2006

SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE INVESTIGACION BIOQUIMICA Y BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR (SAIB)

In previous studies we have analyzed the change in antioxidant defense system under two months of treatment undergoing a moderate zinc deficiency. In all cases we obtained differences in epididymis in the Zinc deficiency (ZD) group. Here we present the effect of Zinc deficiency on testosterone level (T), androgen receptor (AR) and TGF-beta1 expression and histology in epididymis. Wistar male rats were separated in three groups and fed a Zinc-deficient diet (ZD), a Zn-adequate control diet (Co). Some ZD rats received control diet ten days before sacrifice (Ral). Pieces of caput and cauda epididymis were processed for light microscopy. Proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE and were identified by Western blot and normalized using the values obtained for β-actin. Testosterone decrease in ZD vs Co and Ral (p