Effect of sexual maturation and androgens on prostaglandin levels in tissues of the male reproductive system in mice.

Prostaglandins E and F were measured in the testis, epididymis, vas deferens, and seminal vesicles of CD-1 mice from 2 to 8 weeks of age. The concentration of PGF was higher than that of PGE in all organs studied, except for the vas deferens. The concentration of prostaglandins (PGs) was age-dependent, showing a progressive decline from immaturity to adulthood. However, in the testis, there was an apparent transient increase in the concentration of PGs in the seminal vesicle changed very little between the ages of 5 and 8 weeks. The vas deferens had a significantly higher PG concentration than any of the organs studied, and a unique pattern of changes in the levels of PGE and PGF with age. In the vas deferens of two- and three-week-old mice, the concentration of PGF was higher than the concentration of PGE, but after 4 weeks of age PGE became somewhat more abundant than PGF. Treatment of immature mice with testosterone propionate (TP) produced significant changes in PG concentrations, resulting in PG levels resembling those of adult animals. The treatment also changed the ratio of PGE to PGF in the vas deferens (from 1:2 to 1:1). Hereditary dwarf mice had higher levels of PGs in the tissues of the male reproductive system than did their normal littermates. The treatment of dwarf mice with TP generally reduced the concentration of PGs in their reproductive system and resulted in a PG pattern more characteristic of normal adult males of the same strain. The data demonstrate pronounced changes in PG levels in the tissues of the male reporductive system of mice during sexual maturation. From the present study and from previous findings, it can be concluded that these changes can be accounted for by an increase in testicular testosterone secretion.