Peptidase histo- and biochemistry in the kidney of female rats following castration and sex hormone treatment
Haderthauer, H.; Kugler, P.
Zeitschrift für Mikroskopisch-Anatomische Forschung 99(5): 763-772
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0044-3107 PMID: 2869619 Document Number: 253071
The localization of dipeptidylpeptidases I (DAP I), II (DAP II), IV (DAP IV) and aminopeptidase M (APM) in the renal section was investigated histochemically, and their activities were determined fluorometrically in the renal homogenate of normal female rats and compared with female castrates after a 5-day treatment with sesam oil (control castrates), testosterone or estradiol. The biochemical investigations showed an activity decrease of all investigated peptidases both in control castrates and in sex hormone treated castrates compared to normal animals, which is particularly strong after treatment with testosterone. Only in control castrates and castrates substituted with estradiol, there were no significant differences. The histochemically demonstrable activities of the lysosomal DAP I (distal and proximal tubule) and DAP II (pars convoluta of the proximal tubule) as well as of the membrane-bound DAP IV and APM (mainly brush border of the proximal tubule) were apparently lower in testosterone treated castrates than in normal animals. It is concluded that in female castrates only testosterone leads within a 5-day treatment to a biochemically and also histochemically demonstrable decrease of renal peptidase activities.